N. Korean media silent on 8-0 loss

SEOUL, Feb 11, (AFP): North Korean media lauded the players and supporters of the unified Korean women’s ice hockey team Sunday after their first match at the Olympics — without mentioning their 8-0 drubbing.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of the North’s leader Kim Jong Un, was on hand to watch the game against Switzerland with her country’s ceremonial head of state and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The match was a political event as much as a sporting one, with the unified team — the Koreas’ first for 27 years, and first ever at the Olympics — part of a deal forged last month and a symbol of Moon’s hopes for a “peace Olympics”. its eighth Winter Games medal since it started competing separately after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

The Americans had a rough night. None made the six-woman final, and top-ranked Jaelin Kauf was the best finisher, in seventh.

Though Kauf and teammates Morgan Schild (15th) and Keaton McCargo (eighth) are older than the 19-year-old Laffont, the champion came to Pyeongchang with the Olympic experience they lacked.

“Seeing the huge crowd at the bottom was so cool, and it was amazing to take part in it,” Kauf said. Her thoughts when she reached the bottom: “Could’ve done more. But also trying to learn from it and move forward.”

Several women said it was one of the toughest courses they’d ever skied on, and the steadily falling snow that blanketed the course throughout the evening did nothing to make it easier.

Laffont scored a 79.72 on a strong run through the powder, keeping her knees glued together and pointing downward, and landing both her jumps — a 360-degree spin and a back flip with her skis crossed — without a bobble.