Apolo Anton Ohno threw up his arms in a what-can-I-do gesture and smiled.
The American short track speedskater had just been disqualified in the 500 meters, but he wasn’t leaving the Vancouver Olympics empty-handed Friday night.
Ohno returned later and anchored the United States to a bronze-medal finish in the chaotic 5,000 relay, giving him his eighth career medal.
It was Ohno’s third medal of these games, to go with a silver and another bronze that made him America’s most decorated Winter Olympian. He already has the most short track medals of any skater.
The 45-lap relay ended a wild final night of short track, marked by crashes, disqualifications and capricious skating.
It also might have been the final Olympic race of Ohno’s stellar career. He is contemplating retirement, although U.S. national coach Jimmy Jang is hoping to convince the 27-year-old skater from Seattle to compete in a fourth Olympics in 2014.
“I never say never,” Ohno said. “I need a break from this sport that’s been very good to me.”
Ohno remade himself in the months leading up to the games, slimming down to 142 pounds – 25 less than he weighed at his first Olympics in 2002.
“Apolo is an incredible athlete,” U.S. teammate Katherine Reutter said. “He works harder than anyone I know.”
Ohno skated the final two laps of the U.S. relay, sticking out his left skate at the finish before getting edged by South Korea’s Kwak Yoon-gy. Canada won the gold and South Korea earned the silver.
“This is very important for me,” Ohno said, referring to his eighth medal. “I train with these guys year-round. They pour their heart and soul into this sport as well. I want to be able to share a medal with these guys and we did. We delivered.”
Ohno slapped hands and exchanged hugs with teammates J.R. Celski, Travis Jayner and Jordan Malone. He waved to the crowd before skating to the boards and hugging an ecstatic Jang, a longtime friend.
Ohno then skated over to congratulate the Canadians, nearly stepping on their Maple Leaf flag. He also shook hands with his South Korean rivals.
“He’s a very excellent athlete, exceptional in every way,” China’s Han Jialiang said.
On the podium, a roar went up as Ohno’s name was announced and the medal slipped over his slicked-back hair. He held up his bronze in one hand and waved his bouquet in the other.
Yves Hamelin, Canada’s team leader, said he ranks Ohno among the top five best short track skaters, along with some of the South Koreans.
“He’s one of the smartest racers,” he said. “We have to really give a great respect to Apolo.”
Lee Ho-suk, one of Ohno’s longtime Korean rivals, said: “We have some good memories and we also have some bad memories of Ohno. I will be sorry to see him leave the world of short track when he does.”
The medal salvaged the night for Ohno after he was disqualified in the 500, apparently for causing a crash in the final turn. He crossed the finish line second behind Canada’s Charles Hamelin, whose momentum spun him into the middle of the ice as the race ended.
Ohno was in last place when he tried to go inside of Canadian Francois-Louis Tremblay to move up on the final turn. The American’s right leg appeared to hit Tremblay and he crashed into the padding.
South Korea’s Sung Si-bak also went down, although it appeared he lost his balance.
“There was no space between the skaters,” Ohno said. “There was a fast pace from the beginning. I had so much speed that I put my hand up to not run into the Canadian before me. I guess the judge saw something I didn’t.”
After several minutes of discussion, during which Ohno skated calmly around the ice, the referees DQ’d him. He smiled, fully aware of the unpredictable nature of his sport.
“I thought I was going to be able to snag another silver,” he said. “The referees didn’t see it that way.”
Ohno managed to get past crashes in both his previous heats to advance to the 500 final, which he won four years ago in Turin.Hamelin won the gold. Sung took silver and Tremblay got bronze.

source. sports.yahoo.com/olympics
By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer

MEN’S HOCKEY
Ryan Malone, Zach Parise, Erik Johnson and Patrick Kane all scored in the first 10:08, sending Finland goalie Miikka Kiprusoff to the bench and pretty much sealing any doubt who’d win this.
Just to make sure, Kane and Paul Stastny greeted his replacement with goals 15 seconds apart just a few minutes later, and the only question left was who the Americans will play.
Patrick Marleau, Brenden Morrow and Ryan Getzlaf put Canada ahead 3-0 after 24 minutes, but Slovakia hung tough. Goals from Lubomir Visnovsky and Michal Handzus less than four minutes apart in the third period gave them hopes of pulling off the upset.
Now comes the intriguing rematch. And it’ll be played on the 50th anniversary of the U.S. beating Canada for the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics.
The U.S. hasn’t won Olympic gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.
Slovakia and Finland will meet for bronze on Saturday.

BOBSLED
Steve Holcomb and his sleek, black four-man bobsled known as the “Night Train” are halfway to gold.
Officially known as USA-1, the sled set track records on both its runs, putting it in first place going into the last two heats Saturday night.
Note: The United States hasn’t won this race since 1948.
“What Holcomb did here today was super genius,” said Germany’s Kevin Kuske, a four-time Olympic champion.

SPEEDSKATING
More agony for Sven Kramer, lots of joy for the United States.
The American men upset Kramer and the powerful Dutch team in one team pursuit semifinal, and the U.S. women knocked off Canada in their quarterfinal.
My first thought when we crossed the line was, ‘Oh, my God, we beat the Dutch!”’ said Brian Hansen. “And then I thought, ‘Oh, my God, we got a medal!”’
The men will face Canada in the gold-medal race Saturday. The women will face defending Olympic champion Germany in a semifinal Saturday.

SHORT-TRACK SPEEDSKATING
Ohno got his third medal of these games (a silver, two bronze) by anchoring the U.S. squad in the relay, finishing just behind South Korea in the 45-lap event.
In the 500, a short race often filled with spills, Ohno knocked Canada’s Francois Louis-Tremblay into the boards during the last half-lap, then crossed second behind Charles Hamelin. But Ohno’s result was tossed, and he was the only finalist not to get a medal.
Reutter’s medal was her second. She also was part of the U.S. relay team that won bronze.

SLALOM
Riesch’s victory made the German women 3-of-5 in Alpine events. Vonn was waiting for her at the finish.
“Awesome,” she said. “I’m so proud of you.”
Riesch is competing at her first Olympics at age 25 after being sidelined by a season-ending injury four years ago.
Sarah Schleper was the top American, finishing 16th—after a team doctor sewed five stitches in her bloodied chin before her second run.

BIATHLON
The 36-year-old Bjoerndalen nailed all 10 of his targets, then skied across the finish waving a flag and flashing a big smile.
“I’m really satisfied with my race,” he said. “It was perfect.”
The Americans were 13th out of 19 countries.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY FALLOUT
The Canadian Olympic Committee basically said their women’s hockey team made only one mistake while swigging champagne and beer, and lighting cigars, on the ice, in celebration of their gold medal.

Getting caught.
COC president Michael Chambers said nobody would’ve known or cared had it been contained in the locker room. But by going out in front of reporters, the party become somewhat controversial, especially with an 18-year-old player being seen drinking in a city where the legal age is 19.
“It was just us savoring the moment,” tournament MVP Meghan Agosta said. “We were not thinking about what we were doing, but we are responsible for what we did.”

CURLING
Canada was denied another gold medal on home ice, getting taken down by a Swedish team that captured its second consecutive gold medal in women’s curling.
In extra ends, no less!
China, competing in its first Olympics, beat Switzerland for the bronze.

SNOWBOARDING
With rain turning the event into hydroplaning, Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands won the women’s parallel giant slalom race.
Rider after top rider kept going out, unable to handle the strange conditions. About the only one who handled them consistently was Sauerbreij, who was her country’s flagbearer in 2002, but finished 24th.

source: sports.yahoo.com/olympics/
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer

Joannie Rochette (Amy Sancetta)

ROYAL APPROVAL
Earlier, Bjoergen, 29, skied the last leg of the 4x5km relay in front of a packed grandstand where Norway’s King Harald V was watching. She grabbed a Norwegian flag and skied without using poles in the final few metres to her fourth podium finish in four events.
“This has been so great. I had a dream of winning one gold medal and now I have three so this has been a wonderful Games for me,” said Bjoergen.
With three in the top four after Wednesday’s first run, the Austrians had looked set to win their first Olympic gold in the Alpine events at Whistler mountain but again came up short.
German Viktoria Rebensburg unexpectedly won the women’s giant slalom, which was delayed 24 hours because of fog, after her parents had flown home following Wednesday’s opening leg when she was in sixth place.
Elisabeth Goergl was first after the opening leg but found a soft course on the second run and ended up with her second bronze of the Games.
The silver went to Slovenia’s Tina Maze, who finished just 0.04 seconds behind Rebensburg, a former junior world champion yet to win a World Cup race on the senior circuit.
Rebensburg weaved her way to the front with a dazzling second run to become Germany’s first women’s giant slalom champion in 54 years and second youngest Alpine gold medallist.
“It sounds so strange, it’s unbelievable,” she said. “I think it’s going to take a few days for me to realise it.”

TWO GOALS
After Finland beat Sweden 3-2 to claim the women’s ice hockey bronze medal, Canadian forward Marie-Philip Poulin scored both goals in the first period of the final against the U.S.
Canada’s men, watching from the stands, play Slovakia in Friday’s men’s semi-finals while the U.S. face off against Finland, setting up the possibility of a dream north American final on Sunday.
On the curling rink, Canada’s women continued to clean up, advancing to the final against Sweden by beating Switzerland in a tense semi.
The Canadian men also booked their place in the final with a 6-3 win over Sweden to extend their unbeaten run. They next play Norway, who have developed a cult following in Vancouver with their diamond-print pants.
Belarus collected their first Winter Olympic gold when Alexei Grishin won the men’s freestyle aerials at Cypress Mountain. Jeret Peterson of the U.S. took silver and China’s Liu Zhongqing the bronze.
American Bill Demong won gold in the Nordic combined as the U.S., Germany and Canada ended the 13th full day of competition with eight golds each and the U.S. ahead on overall medals.
Away from the ice and snow, the U.S. Olympic Committee confirmed that American bobsleigh crew member Bill Schuffenhauer had been arrested and then released to compete in Friday’s event.
Vancouver police had earlier said a U.S. Olympian had been arrested on Wednesday for assaulting his common law partner but did not name him.
A South Korean man was arrested too in Seoul for threatening to blow up the Australian Embassy after an Australian judge disqualified the South Korean women’s short track team on Wednesday.

source: sports.yahoo.com

source: www.vancouver2010.com

CLOSE BEHIND
Elisabeth Goergl, who could become the first Austrian to win Olympic gold in the discipline since it was introduced in 1952, led France’s Taina Barioz by 0.02 seconds after the first run, with two more Austrians close behind.
“I think it is a fair decision from the jury to do it tomorrow because we don’t want a lottery at such an important race like this,” Goergl told Reuters. “Let’s hope that we have fair conditions tomorrow and a good race.”
French coach Yves Dimier said the decision was also good news for Barioz.
The regulations state only that “whenever possible” both runs should be held on the same day.
The decision to proceed with only the second run, rather than a completely new race, ended any hopes of American Lindsey Vonn being able to return after crashing out of the first leg.

source: sports.yahoo.com/olympics

Kim Yuna of South Korea leads after the short program of the women’s figure skating event on Tuesday at the Vancouver Olympics. Yuna, who skated to a James Bond medley, scored 78.50 points.
Mao Asada of Japan is in second place with 73.78 points after she skated to the “Waltz Masquerade” by Aram Khatchaturian.
Canada’s Joannie Rochette, whose mother passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack on Sunday, received a lengthy standing ovation after she finished. She skated to “La Cumparsita” and received 71.36 points, putting her in third place.
Miki Ando of Japan skated to “Requiem” by Mozart and finished with 64.76 points, good for fourth place.
Rachael Flatt of the U.S., skating to “Sing Sing Sing,” is in fifth place with 64.64 points
Mirai Nagasu of the U.S., skating to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” soundtrack, is in sixth place with 63.76 points. Her nose started bleeding midway through her performance.
“Halfway there I felt stuff running down my nose and thinking ‘don’t think about it just keep going.’ My performance tonight wasn’t as good as nationals, I’m a little disappointed but I think the next Olympics I’ll know how to feel.”

Photo: Kim Yuna of South Korea competes during the short program Tuesday night. Credit: Richard Mackson / U.S. Presswire

source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Kim Yu-na

For Kim, gold is the goal.
She arrived in Vancouver with the greatest expectations of any single athlete. The reigning world champion is a rock star in her native South Korea, dubbed “Queen Yu-na” and so wildly popular she can’t leave her parents’ house without bodyguards. Though South Korea has piled up plenty of medals – 10 here in Vancouver, as of Tuesday night – the country has yet to win anything in any winter sport besides speedskating and short track.
But if Kim was feeling the heat, she didn’t let it show.
“I didn’t think that this is the Olympics or I have to be perfect,” said Kim, who trains in Toronto and competed in Vancouver a year ago. “It wasn’t that special a feeling, it was the same as other competitions. So I was very comfortable, like the other competitions.”
Skating right after Asada, Kim showed no reaction when she heard her rival’s marks. When the rowdy cheers finally faded, she simply took her spot at the end of the rink, slowly unfurled one arm, cocked her index finger like a gun and turned her head to give the judges a sly, seductive smile.
“It was perfect that she skated right after Mao,” Orser said, “because she’s a competitor. She’s very fierce.”
Kim doesn’t have Asada’s triple axel – few women in the world do – but her jumps are no less impressive. She goes into them full speed and her triple lutz-triple toe combination was done with perfect timing and smoothness, like a rock skipping across the water. Her spins show so much flexibility they’d make Gumby green with envy.
But what makes her so captivating is her presentation. Anyone who complains that figure skating has lost its sizzle hasn’t seen Kim skate. She played the Bond Girl to the hilt, rubbing her hand up one thigh while she was in front of the judges, fixing them with a flirtatious look.
When she saw her marks – 2.22 points better than her previous record – she gave an easy smile as if she expected it all along.
“It was a really good vehicle for her, because she likes to skate a character piece, especially for the short program because it can be such a nerve-racking experience,” Orser said. “She likes to show off. She certainly did, she was beautiful.”
Asada’s program was in sharp contrast to Kim’s, playful and light. The highlight was, of course, that triple axel, which she did in combination with a double toe. The jump is so difficult few women even try it, yet Asada rips it off like it’s a single. She’s not just a jumping bean, though.
She was so in tune with her “Masquerade Waltz” that, during her footwork sequence, she did a little hop and an illusion – swooping her head and torso down while her leg is kicking up – just as the music lifted. She beamed during her spiral sequence, which seemed to go on forever.
Asada clasped her hands together and hopped up and down when she finished, giving the cheering crowd a slight bow as she left the ice. She looked stunned when her marks were announced, turning to coach Tatiana Tarasova as if to say, “Is that good?”
“I was nervous at the beginning but then I realized I’m here at the Olympics and I’m skating,” Asada said. “That made me very happy and confident.”

source: sports.yahoo.com

source: www.vancouver2010.com