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Winter Olympics 2018 Day 12: US men’s ice hockey team crashes out; Lindsey Vonn takes bronze, Korea calls for speed skaterbans, French pair’s costume take-two; Kailani Craine advances in figure skating

500,000 South Koreans have petitioned to have two of their own speed skaters banned for not supporting their teammate.

South Korea's Park Ji Woo leads South Korea's Noh Seon-Yeong and South Korea's Kim Bo-Reum in the women's team pursuit. Picture: AFP
South Korea's Park Ji Woo leads South Korea's Noh Seon-Yeong and South Korea's Kim Bo-Reum in the women's team pursuit. Picture: AFP

How Day 12 of the 2018 Winter Olympics from PyeongChang played out as Australian figure skater Kailani Crane advanced after a strong showing in the short program.

10.24pm: Korea come from behind to beat NZ in speed skating

New Zealand’s wait for a first Olympic medal since 1992 may be extended further. Their men’s speed skating pursuit team beaten out of the gold medal race by a stunning last lap performance from the host nation.

Down as much as .40 of a second throughout and with the gap at .17 coming into the final lap the home team were lifted by the raucous home crowd to lead for the only time in the race at the finish.

They await Norway in the final race for gold after they set an Olympic record to defeat the highly touted Dutch team.

9.45pm: American women pull off huge upset in cross country boilover

The United States has won its first Olympic gold medal in women’s cross-country skiing, and Norwegian skier Marit Bjoergen has become the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time by taking bronze at the Pyeongchang Games. The Americans posted the fastest time in the semifinals to start on the front row in the finals Wednesday. Jessica Diggins passed the Swedes and the Norwegians on the final lap to make history in a major upset. Sweden took silver.

8.45pm: Finns upset Russia to take women’s ice hockey bronze

Their men’s team may have hammered Norway to advance to the final four of the men’s ice hockey but the Olympic Athletes from Russia have failed to medal in the women’s event.

They were shocked by plucky Finald, who led from start to finish.

Just two minutes in Petra Nieminen scored a powerplay goal for the Finns before Susanna Tapani made it 2-0 early in the second period.
Russia hit back with a goal to Olga Sosina, before Finland made it 3-1 midway through the second when Linda Valimaki found the net.

The Russian team then poured the pressure on when Lyudmila Belyakova scored with 14 minutes to play but the Finns held on for just the countrie’s fourt medal of the games... all bronze for the former Winter powerhouse.

7.45pm: Koreans want ‘uncaring’ speed skaters banned

Two South Korean speed skaters face growing calls for their ban from the national squad after appearing to blame a teammate for their failure to reach the women’s team pursuit semi-finals at the Pyeongchang Games.

Kim Bo-reum and Park Ji-woo crossed the line almost four seconds ahead of the third Korean skater, Noh Seon-yeong, in the quarter-finals on Monday. In the pursuit, the clock only stops when the final skater has crossed the line and teams typically finish with all three skaters bunched together. Television clips showed Noh in tears on the bench after the race while Kim and Park appeared to ignore her and walk away with only their Dutch coach, Bob de Jong, offering Noh comfort.

Noh had been hoping to win gold to honour her late brother, former short track world champion Jing-kyu, who died of bone cancer in 2016.

South Korea's Noh Seon-Yeong competes in the women's 1,500m speed skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Picture: AFP
South Korea's Noh Seon-Yeong competes in the women's 1,500m speed skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Picture: AFP

While Kim and Park were being interviewed after the race, Noh walked out of the arena and declined to answer questions.

“Team pursuit results are decided when the last skater reaches the finish line and that’s the part where we didn’t do well,” Kim said in the interview. Park said in the interview that she “didn’t know Noh was left behind because it was too loud”.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 500,000 people had signed a petition lodged with the presidential Blue House, calling for Kim and Park to be ousted from the national team.

If a demand receives over 200,000 signatures within 30 days, the Blue House must address the issue. It has yet to give an answer.

“A sportsman who isn’t a team player doesn’t deserve to be part of the national team”, one petitioner wrote.

“It’s truly a shame to see the athletes bully one another, and they represent the Republic of Korea”, another said.

Public anger has yet to subside despite Kim apologising for her remarks at a tearful news conference on Tuesday. At the same news conference, coach Baek Cheol-gi said it was Noh’s choice to skate third on the final lap. However, Noh said in an interview with local broadcaster SBS that she had never volunteered to be the third skater and had prepared to be in the middle. “(The three of us) practiced in different places and didn’t really have a chance to see each other, let alone talk about the race”, she said according to interview footage.

6.55pm: Broken Vonn’s Olympic dream comes true

Some might say bronze wasn’t the colour medal Lindsey Vonn was expected to win in the women’s downhill but the American star believes to even medal with her broken body, eight years after she won gold in Vancouver was a huge achievement.

“If you think what’s happened over the last eight years and what I’ve been through to get here, I gave it all and to come away with a medal is a dream come true,” Vonn said.

“You’ve got to put things into perspective. Of course, I would have loved a gold medal but, honestly, this is amazing and I’m so proud.” Vonn, who is due to compete in Thursday’s alpine combined event, added: “It was tough to contemplate this being my last Olympic downhill. I struggled to try to keep the emotions together, but I left it all on the mountain like I said I would.

Lindsey Vonn, third placed, celebrates during the victory ceremony of the women's Downhill at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre. Picture: AFP
Lindsey Vonn, third placed, celebrates during the victory ceremony of the women's Downhill at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre. Picture: AFP

“It’s sad. It’s my last downhill. I wish I could keep going, I’m having so much fun and I love what I do, but my body just can’t take another four years.” - Suffocating pressure - Be it a jarred back, fractured humerus or season-ending injuries that include a fractured left ankle (2016), wrecked right knee (2014) and left knee (2013), Vonn has suffered a catalogue of mishaps that has left her relying on more than a couple of reconstructed body parts.

“Yeah, I’m going to miss the Olympics, that was one of the reasons why it was so emotional for me today,” she said.

“I love racing in the Olympics, I love racing, being in the start gate with so much pressure you feel suffocated, but somehow you will yourself to give everything you have and you throw yourself down mountain in hopes of a medal.

“I wish I could keep skiing, I wish my body doesn’t hurt as bad as it does.”

5.15pm: Canadian wins wild ski cross final

Brady Leman has earned gold for Canada in men’s ski cross, beating Switzerland’s Marc Bischofberger in a dramatic final. Leman took the lead early during today’s four-man decider and then held off Bischofberger in a two-man duel after Canada’s Kevin Drury and Russian athlete Sergey Ridzik collided early on.

Ridzik picked himself up and raced down for bronze.

The elimination rounds included a handful of frightening crashes that forced several men to leave the course wrapped up in a medical sled. The worst came when 2011 world champion Chris Del Bosco lost control in mid-air late in the run.

The right side of the Canadian’s body slammed hard into the snow and he lay motionless for several minutes before emergency personnel carefully placed him on the sled.

5pm: Embarrassing exit for the US

Pavel Francouz stopped all five shooters and Petr Kouka scored the shootout winner as the Czech Republic eliminated the US men’s hockey team with a 3-2 victory in the quarter-finals.

Jan Kovar and Tomas Kundratek scored in regulation for the Czech Republic, who were fresher after winning their group and getting a bye into the quarter-finals. The US looked fatigued after facing Slovakia in the qualification round and were outshot 29-20.

Ryan Donato and Jim Slater scored for the US, who again were led by their youngest players, including speedster Troy Terry. US goaltender Ryan Zapolski allowed three goals on 29 shots and one in the shootout. The Czech Republic’s Pavel Francouz stopped 18 in regulation and overtime.

4.30pm: Records tumble

Alina Zagitova allowed her close friend and training partner, Evgenia Medvedeva, to enjoy her new short program world record for about 15 minutes. The 15-year-old Russian then performed a flawless “Black Swan” routine to score 82.92 points inside Gangneung Ice Arena. That topped the score of 81.61 that Medvedeva put up three skaters ahead of her.

It was the third time the world record has been set during the PyeongChang Games. Medvedeva also broke the record in helping the Olympic Athletes of Russia win the team silver medal.

4.05pm: A horror crash

There have been some heavy falls in the men’s ski cross event, but none as bad as this one in the round of 32.

Canada’s Christopher Delbosco was on the receiving end after launching spectacularly off a jump. He lay motionless for several minutes until medical staff attended to him.

3.50pm: Grimus grimacing

A heavy fall in the seeding run looks like it had an effect on Australia’s Anton Grimus in the ski cross, as he was a non-factor in his round of 32 race.

Grimus finished fourth, well behind his three rivals. The top two of the eight qualifying races advance to the quarter-finals.

3.30pm: A record run

Greta Small achieved the best placing for an Australian woman with 20th in the downhill, which was won by Italy’s Sofia Goggia.

The 22-year-old Victorian, who was battling the flu, said she wanted to “send it” in the final.

“It’s not ideal to be panelling each gate but I just wanted to go for it,” Small said. I’m really happy. I’ve got a bit of a flu, I was down on energy.

“I didn’t quite get the lane but overall I’m really stoked. I watched the first 10 skiers on TV before I got to the mountain and it showed me how the course was running. I just went out and said ‘send it’. That has been a bit of a motto for the team.”

Greta Small in the women’s downhill. Picture: Getty
Greta Small in the women’s downhill. Picture: Getty

3.10pm: ‘It was so much fun’

Figure skater Kailani Craine has performed a clean short program to progress to the free skate. The Australian will skate for a medal on Friday after scoring 56.77 for a routine in which she pulled off a triple loop to double toe loop and an impressive layback spin.

The 19-year-old was sitting ninth with more than two-thirds of the 30-woman field complete.

“I actually wasn’t that nervous going out. I was nervous before walking out in the warm-up,” Craine told the Seven Network.

“It felt really, really good. After my routine I looked up and I was in second place, and I was so happy. I can’t believe that. I’m really proud of myself.

“It was so much fun. I was focused but because I was so well trained coming into it I could just switch off my brain and enjoy it at the same time.”

Australia's Kailani Craine in the women's single skating short program. Picture: AFP
Australia's Kailani Craine in the women's single skating short program. Picture: AFP

2.50pm: Italy’s Goggia grabs gold

Lindsey Vonn cast a quick glance toward the sky after finishing what was likely her final Olympic downhill run, shrugged her shoulders at seeing her time and shook a friendly index finger at her good friend.

No one could catch Sofia Goggia of Italy.

Goggia won the women’s downhill at Jeongseon Alpine Center as Vonn earned bronze. The American was looking at a higher finish, before Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway turned in a surprise silver-medal performance as the 19th racer on the course.

Then again, shocking finishes seem to be the norm on this hill. Ester Ledecka of Czech Republic made a late charge last week from back in the pack to take the super-G title. She skipped the downhill to step back into the snowboarding realm and will go through qualifying Thursday in the parallel giant slalom. Goggia finished in a time of 1min 39.22sec to hold off Mowinckel by 0.09sec. Vonn was 0.47sec behind Goggia.

At 33, Vonn becomes the oldest female medallist in Alpine skiing at the Winter Games. The record was held by Austria’s Michaela Dorfmeister, who was just shy of her 33rd birthday when she won the downhill and the super-G at the 2006 Turin Olympics.

This particular track just seems to suit Goggia’s aggressive skiing. She also edged Vonn in March to win the only World Cup downhill contested on the hill. Maybe mind games. Maybe a ploy. But each pointed to the other as the one to watch in the days leading up to the race. Goggia referred to Vonn as “definitely the favourite.”

Goggia was behind at the top, but found another speed near the bottom. Vonn couldn’t match it when she skied off two spots later. This was Goggia’s first gold at an Olympics or a world championships. She has four World Cup wins.

Italy’s Sofia Goggia celebrates gold in the downhill. Picture: Getty
Italy’s Sofia Goggia celebrates gold in the downhill. Picture: Getty

2.40pm: Taking a tumble

Australia’s Anton Grimus wasn’t able to finish his seeding run in the ski cross, but he will feature in one of the eight elimination runs. Qualifiers from these eight races will move into the quarter-finals.

2.30pm: Small but significant

Australia’s Greta Small has taken her turn in the women’s downhill, with a time that has her in 20th place, and 2.85sec, behind Italy’s Sofia Goggia.

2.10pm: Craine cruises

Australian figure skater Kailani Craine has produced a solid performance in the short program, going for a relatively safe routine but escaping without any mishaps to move into second place midway through the first day of competition.

Craine put up a score of 56.77, second to American Bradie Tennell on 64.01.

1.45pm: A silver stunner?

Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel puts in a sensational run in the women’s downhill, just missing out on taking the lead by 0.09sec. It puts her in second spot, behind Italy’s Sofia Goggia but ahead of American Lindsey Vonn, who is hanging onto the bronze medal position.

1.20pm: No gold for Vonn

Pre-event favourite in the women’s downhill, America’s Lindsey Vonn, has completed her run but was unable to unseat leader Sofia Goggia.

With most of the leading contenders already in the sheds, the Italian lies in first place, almost half-a-second ahead of Vonn, with Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather in third place.

At 33, Vonn is trying to become the oldest female medallist in Alpine skiing at the Winter Games.

1pm: Rare air

12.40pm: Korean snub for US Vice-President

Mike Pence was all set to hold a historic meeting with North Korean officials but Kim Jong-un’s government cancelled, it has been revealed — Full story here

12.15pm: An early stumble

US champion Bradie Tennell has taken the lead in the women’s short program. Of course, she is the first skater to perform.

Tennell drew the opening spot, not an advantageous position in a field of 30. She has been consistent throughout her breakthrough season, but this time fell on the second part of her triple lutz-triple toe loop combination. Tennell, who helped the Americans win the bronze medal in the team event, has earned 64.01 points. A score of 81.06 is the Olympic record, set last week by Russian Evgenia Medvedeva in the team competition.

The other Americans, Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen, are slated to go 20th and 22nd, respectively. Medvedeva skates 25th.

Bradie Tennell falls while performing during the short program figure skating. Picture: AP
Bradie Tennell falls while performing during the short program figure skating. Picture: AP

11.45am: No slip-ups this time

French ice dancers Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron appeared to have stolen the show with just one pairing to go in the final, breaking their own free dance and combined score mark.

Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir led after Monday’s short program, in which Papadakis suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.

Wearing a backless all-in-one number this time with no annoying clips to become unfastened, Papadakis and Cizeron could not have done any more in their bid to become only France’s second champions in this discipline likened to ballroom dancing on ice.

Papadakis and Cizeron have been superb all season, becoming the first ice dancers to break the 200-point mark last year.

Their elegant and seamless routine to Beethoven’s Piano and Moonlight sonatas earned a row of level fours from the judges.

France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron during their ice dance free dance, which earned them a silver medal. Picture: AFP
France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron during their ice dance free dance, which earned them a silver medal. Picture: AFP

Papadakis fell into Cizeron’s arms crying, before the couple exited to the wings of the Gangneung Arena to see if their training companions in Montreal could deny them the title.

And how they did.

The Canadian couple began their routine to Roxanne from Moulin Rouge with many at the now-hushed venue believing they were chasing a lost cause.

But their energetic and sensual tango stole the rink jury’s hearts -- and broke those of their two French friends’ watching their dream of Olympic gold disappear.

“It wasn’t the best part of the day (watching Virtue and Moir) but it’s like that, they skated really well,” said Cizeron.

He added: “We gave our all, that’s why we were so emotional on the ice at the end.

“In spite of everything, it was a ‘beau combat’.” Papadakis, commenting on her misfortune a day earlier when her dress slipped, said: “I had no choice but to get over what happened yesterday.

“We had to get over it, and we did, otherwise we wouldn’t have performed as we did just now.”

Papadakis and Cizeron during their wardrobe malfunction. Picture: AFP
Papadakis and Cizeron during their wardrobe malfunction. Picture: AFP

11.30am: Change of plans

Mikaela Shiffrin is feeling relaxed by her decision not to race in the downhill and has produced a fast practice run to set her up for tomorrow’s Alpine combined event.

The American acknowledged feeling “a little bit of relief” after the program changed late on Monday. Organisers brought forward the combined by one day to avoid forecast strong winds.

The demands of back-to-back race days meant Shiffrin opted out of Wednesday’s downhill to focus on combined, which includes a run of slalom, her specialist discipline.

Shiffrin posted the fifth-fastest time in yesterday’s practice. She is among the favourites to add the combined Olympic title to the giant slalom she won last Thursday.

US skier Mikaela Shiffrin. Picture: AP
US skier Mikaela Shiffrin. Picture: AP

11am: Vonn plots ambush

Lindsey Vonn won’t have to wear the unwanted No.1 bib again when she starts the downhill today.

On Saturday in the super-G, her only choice was being the first starter. It didn’t work out and she finished sixth.

It’s a cat-and-mouse game top skiers play in picking start numbers for speed races.

Vonn will start No.7, right after big rival Sofia Goggia. The top-ranked Italian had first pick of odd-numbered bibs from Nos.1 to 19 and took 5. Vonn had next pick.

The American says she based her pick off what Goggia selected. She says, “I’m picking right behind her so I would like to start behind her. I like knowing my competitors, what times they get, how they’re skiing.”

Lindsey Vonn during the preliminary round of the downhill. Picture: AFP
Lindsey Vonn during the preliminary round of the downhill. Picture: AFP

10.30am: Out you go!

A Slovenian hockey player has become the third athlete to test positive for doping. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says Ziga Jeglic tested positive for fenoterol in an in-competition test. Fenoterol is a drug designed to open the airways to the lungs.

Jeglic has been suspended from the games and has been ordered to leave the athletes village within 24 hours.

Slovenia lost 2-1 to Norway in the men’s hockey yesterday, but Jeglic was scratched from the team.

The 29-year-old forward played in all three preliminary-round games and had an assist.

Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito and Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky, who won a bronze medal, have also tested positive at the PyeongChang Games.

Ziga Jeglic scores the game-winning goal for Slovenia against Slovakia during a penalty-shot shootout in the preliminary round. Picture: AFP
Ziga Jeglic scores the game-winning goal for Slovenia against Slovakia during a penalty-shot shootout in the preliminary round. Picture: AFP

10am: Weather hits again

The women’s big air final has been rescheduled to tomorrow because of expected strong winds on Friday.

The snowboarding competition sends racers down a 50m ramp to vault off a huge kicker and travel up to 30m below for the landing.

It made its debut at the Olympics on Monday.

The slopestyle competition at the PyeongChang Games was raced last week in strong winds, and almost every rider agreed it should not have been held then. Snowboarders in that event completed only nine of the 50 runs without a fall. Wind has been a persistent problem in PyeongChang and forced three of the first four Alpine ski events to be postponed.

Last week, winds howled through the Olympic Park, and the area was evacuated.

A digital composite shows France’s Thomas Krief in the freestyle halfpipe at the Games. Picture: Getty
A digital composite shows France’s Thomas Krief in the freestyle halfpipe at the Games. Picture: Getty

9.34am: Fourcade skis into history

Nobody in French history has won more Olympic gold medals than Martin Fourcade. Nobody has won more gold medals so far at the Pyeongchang Winter Games than the French biathlete.

Yet Fourcade refused to make the night about himself despite anchoring France to a come-from-behind victory yesterday in the biathlon mixed relay. It was his third gold medal in Pyeongchang, and the fifth in his decorated career.

“Tonight it is a big win for the team and all of the crew,” Fourcade said. “There is nothing that means more than when you can share (the gold) with your teammates. That is something that is incredible.”

The 29-year-old Fourcade’s fifth Olympic title moved him past fencers Christian D’Oriola and Lucien Gaudin for the most in French history in either the Summer or Winter Games.

Only Norway’s Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (eight) has more Olympic gold medals in the biathlon than Fourcade, who has a chance for another gold medal on Friday in the men’s relay.

8.23am: Nigeria’s winter wonderland

Nigeria was winning the Olympic women’s bobsled race.

Yes, really.

That sentence is 100 percent accurate — albeit with some massive reservations. The Nigerians were the second sled down the track in the opening heat of the women’s competition at the Pyeongchang Olympics, and over the first few turns of the course they actually were going along faster than the Korean sled that preceded them.

So yes, they were winning.

“I know!” pilot Seun Adigun shrieked afterward, overjoyed by the notion. Of course, after that quick flirtation with the lead, their sled bounced off the roof and commenced the inevitable freefall to last place.

Briefly leading, finishing last, none of that was the point last night. Simply getting to the Olympics has been victory enough for this Nigerian team, three women who live in the US and have backgrounds in other sports before deciding to try sliding — and now, officially, are the first bobsled to represent Africa on the sport’s biggest stage.

Nigeria's Moriam Seun Adigun (right) and Akuoma Omeoga wave after the second heat of the women's bobsleigh. Photo: AFP
Nigeria's Moriam Seun Adigun (right) and Akuoma Omeoga wave after the second heat of the women's bobsleigh. Photo: AFP

The final two runs are tonight (10.40pm AEDT). For the Nigerian sled to not finish last, they’ll need someone ahead of them to make a massive mistake. Again, that’s irrelevant.

They have been rock stars at these Olympics, for all the right reasons. Athletes of all sorts — male, female, white, black — have wanted hugs and selfies, which is all the vindication the Nigerians have needed to show that this foray was worthwhile.

— AP

7.55am: How the Aussies fared yesterday

SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
* Women’s 1000m qualification, heat 2: Deanna Lockett penalised (eliminated)
* Men’s 500m qualification, heat 1: Andy Jung third (eliminated)

7.23am: Bradbury miracle now a curse?

Perhaps Steven Bradbury’s miracle on ice has been a curse for the Australians that have followed his skating tracks.

In 2002 the Queenslander crossed the line at the Salt Lake City Ice Center in total disbelief that he had won Australia’s first gold medal at a Winter Olympics.

Sixteen years and four Games on, no Australian short track skater has been in a final — let alone on a podium.

The denouement for Deanna Lockett and Andy Jung last night was particularly swift.

Two-time Olympian Lockett, who is based in Korea, took an early lead in her 1000-metre heat only to be rounded up by her Korean and Chinese opponents.

She crossed the line third and with only the top two going through failed to progress to the quarter-finals. After the race she was penalised for interference and relegated to a non-finishing position.

After coming sixth in the semi-finals of the 1500m, her Games were over. Jung didn’t last that long.

He wiped out after one lap of his heat when jockeying for third with his American opponent.

Afterwards he explained that the signs hadn’t been particularly good when he crashed in exactly the same spot in the warm-up earlier that night.

He fared a little better in the 1500m, where he finished fifth in his semi-final.

It all follows something of a run of outs for Australia in the sport, where admittedly Bradbury had enough good fortune for a lifetime of Winter Olympics. In 2014, Lockett was the only Australian to make it out of a heat, in the 1000m, while eight years earlier the men’s relay team had the best result of the post-Bradbury era with a sixth-placed finish.

In 2010, Australia even tried to outsource winning a medal by recruiting former Russian Tatiana Borodulina. It literally ended in tears as she bombed out in Vancouver then promptly decided to go back to the land of her birth. So, for the foreseeable future, Bradbury will remain the answer to any name association with the words ‘short track’ and ‘Australian’.

Lockett believes that, until another Australian wins a medal, that’s exactly how it should be.

“I think in a way, yes,” she said.

“It’s a pretty special medal that he won so until someone else wins a medal I think that light won’t be moved until that happens again.”

— AAP

7.15am: Jamaicans enjoy moment in sun

The much-heralded Jamaican women’s bobsleigh team have made their Winter Olympic debut on a night of colour and emotion and coming 30 years after the country’s first appearance at the Games in Calgary.

At a near sold-out sliding centre pilot Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian and brakewoman Carrie Russell made two impressive starts but their steering let them down as they finished in 18th out of 20 following the first two runs. Topping the timesheets at the halfway point was the German sled piloted by Jamanka Mariama, who had an 0.07 second lead over America’s Elana Meyers Taylor, seeking gold to add to previous silver and bronze medals, with Germany’s Stephanie Schneider sitting just behind in third.

They are likely to be fighting for the medals in today’s third and fourth legs but the headline act yesterday, despite their disappointing showing, was undoubtedly the Jamaican team.

“It’s just a good feeling to represent our country at this level,” Russell said.

“The road hasn’t ended, there’s far more room for us to improve”.

The duo had faced unwanted distractions ahead of the competition when their German coach Sandra Kiriasis quit suddenly last week.

For a while, it looked like they would not even have a sled until Red Stripe beer offered to buy the one they had been using and put them back in contention.

Fenlator-Victorian said she had been listening to Jamaican reggae artist Chronixx in training to “keep the vibes light and heady” ahead of yesterday’s race which revived memories of their men’s bobsleigh team in Calgary in 1988, the unlikely inspiration for the 1993 film Cool Runnings.

“It really means a lot and though we are not happy with our performance we will analyse it and see where we can improve it tomorrow but I know there is a bigger picture out there,” she said.

“I am hoping to build upon it in the future. We’re the first women’s team from the islands, that’s why barriers are there: to be broken.”

— REUTERS

7am: Day 13 — Aussies to watch

FIGURE SKATING
12pm: Kailani Craine (women’s short program)

ALPINE SKIING
* 1pm: Greta Small (women’s downhill)

FREESTYLE SKIING
* 1.30pm: Anton Grimus (men’s ski cross seeding, finals)

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
* 7pm: Australia — Jessica Yeaton, Barbara Jezersek (women’s team sprint semi-final)
* 8.15pm: Australia — Callum Watson, Phillip Bellingham (men’s team spring semi-final)

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/winter-olympics-2018/winter-olympics-2018-day-13-kailani-craine-anton-grimus-in-action-for-australia/news-story/0ff74108db350dbadee8bec2e247a70c