Olympics - PyeongChang 2018 - Day 19

Day 19 - February 25

So, we have reached the final day of the Olympics.  Besides the Closing Ceremonies, there is only 1 event remaining, that being the women's 30km mass start.  Norway's Marit Bjoergen won gold after leading an early break, extending the lead to over 2 minutes halfway through the race, and cruising to victory over Finland's Krista Parmakoski and Sweden's Stina Nilsoon, whom captured silver and bronze respectively.  Bjergen, who had earlier in PyeongChang made history by becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian ever, extended that record with her 13th and 14th medals, made more history with this gold.  With her 15th medal, shhe extended her lead among Winter Olympians to 2 over countryman Ole Einar Bjorndaelen.  Bjoergen also won her 8th overall gold medal, which ties the winter record of Bjorndaelen and Bjorn Dahlie.with 8, and she also ties the record of 5 medals in a single games, a feat that has been done 10 times, including by herself in 2010. She also rises into a tie for third of all-time medalists with Soviet gymnast Nikolai Andrianov, who won his 15 medals (7 golds, 5 silver, 3 bronze) from 1972-1980 and just behind Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina, who won 18 medals (9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze from 1956-1964.  (Michael Phelps, of course, is the all-time leader with 28 medals  For her gold-medal winning, PyeongChang capping, record setting appearance, Marit Bjoergen is the Performer of the Day, and here she is as she approaches the finish line!

 

I honestly did not watch much of the closing ceremonies, but I was pleased that cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, who had two 5th place finishes to go with the first ever cross-country gold awarded to am American.  I didn't see who the other nominees were, but she was, and is, a fantastic choice.  As a reminder of how close Diggins race finished, after a blistering Diggins sprint brought her into contention for the gold.

The biggest U.S. disappointment is the total medal count, with American athletes winning 23 total medals (9 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze), well behind Norway's 39 medals (14 golds) and Germany's 31 medals (14 gold).  Canada with 29 medals (11 gold) also bested the United States.  For a USOC that had posted a goal of 37 medals, this was a widely disappointing Olympics.  For those not U.S. centric folks, this was an amazing Olympics with hardly any problems or true controversies, and some amazing athletes, events, games, matches, races and finishes.  On to Tokyo in 2020 (summer) and Beijing in 2022 (winter).

Events Watched:  Women's Cross-Country Skiing; Men's Hockey (replay); Closing Ceremonies (hardly any).