Day 2 - February 5, 2022
Day 2, and the first day in which I was able to watch a lot of the competition. Again, not a lot of medals, yet, but some really good competition to watch.
The first medals were handed out in the women's skiathlon, with Norway's Therese Johaug winning gold, after sprinting ahead of the field at the switch from classic to freestyle method. American Jesse Diggins, one of the unexpected stars of Pyeongchang, finished 6th.
In the biathlon mixed relay, the United States threatened despite never having won a medal in any biathlon event. Near flawless shooting rounds from Clare Egan and Sean Doherty put the US in as high as second, but first time Olympian Paul Schommer wasn't as successful, and the United States finished 7th, behind gold medalist favorite Norway, France and the Russian Olympic Committee filling out the podium - in that order.
In its first game since losing Brianna Decker to injury in the opener against Finland, the US women's hockey team defeated the Russian Olympic Committee 5-0, behind a goal and an assist from Hilary Knight, behind a goal and an assist from Hilary Knight, playing in her fourth Olympics.
In short track speedskating, the mixed relay turned out to be incredibly competitive, with host China, the number 1 ranked team in the world, surviving a third-place scare in the semi-finals - only the top 2 advance - when the officials judged they were interfered with not once, but twice, by the Russian Olympic Committee and the United States, the penalty DQing the US team which thought it had qualified for the finals. China ends up defeating Italy by .05 seconds!
But, the best performance of the day goes to our athlete of the day, in the 3000m speedskating final. Irene Schouten of the Netherlands wins gold and sets an Olympic record in the process. Italy's Francesca Lollabrigida and Canada's Isabella Weidemann finished with the silver and bronze, respectively, in a star-studded podium, each edging out fourth-place World Record holder Martina Sabilkova from the Czech Republic.
Athlete of the Day - Irene Schouten, Netherlands, Speed Skating
Schouten broke the Olympic record in the 3000m set by the immortal Claudia Pechstein in Salt Lake City 2002.
Teamwork Moment of the Day - Brianna Decker, USA, Hockey
United States hockey star Brianna Decker suffered an Olympic-ending lower body injury, but that did not keep her from attending today's game against the Russian Olympic Committee. Seated in a special section, Decker could be seen yelling, encouraging, and cheering her teammates, as they won 5-0.
Olympic Term of the Day: Mogul - A small hard mound of snow on a ski slope, cast up over numerous runs by the skis of skiers as they turn. One of a set of closely spaced, artificially constructed mounds forming the course for certain competitive skiing events. A skiing event held on such a course.
Olympic Events Watched: Biathlon (Mixed Relay), Freestyle Skiing (Mens' Moguls), Hockey, Luge, (Women's), Short Track Speed Skating, Ski Jumping (Men's/Women's Normal Hill)
USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer: Nathan Chen, Hilary Knight
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