Olympics notebook
FIGURE SKATING Russian fails drug test
Kamila Valieva, the 15-yearold Russian superstar who was expected to deliver her nation its third consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating, practiced as usual, hours after reports that she tested positive for a banned substance.
Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Beijing Games, the Russian newspaper RBC reported. The sample was reportedly obtained before Valieva won the European championship last month in Estonia, a performance that solidified her status as the leader of Russia’s “quad squad” of elite women’s figure skaters. It’s unclear if Russia is appealing or fighting the result. Her appearance at practice implies that the federation isn’t accepting any finding that would eliminate her. “She is not suspended,” Russian figure skating federation spokesman Olga Ermolina said, with no further detail. Valieva ran through her program and skated with teammate Alexandra Trusova while getting pointers from Coach Eteri Tutberidze at the practice rink. Valieva flashed a smile to one of her coaches near the end of the roughly 30-minute session, and none of the skaters took questions from reporters. A positive test could cost Russia the gold medal from the team competition and threaten Valieva’s chance to win the individual competition that starts Tuesday. She is the heavy favorite.
SNOWBOARDING Kim gets gold again
Snowboarder Chloe Kim turned in a strong opening run — one of her best top-to-bottom performances ever
— as she easily defended her Olympic halfpipe title on Thursday. The last rider to drop into the halfpipe, and with the contest already over, the 21-year-old American still attempted to go big one last time. She fell, quickly got back up and casually glided the rest of the way down the halfpipe as the Olympic champion. She greeted her fellow medalists at the bottom with an embrace. On this day, the only real drama was for second place, with 32-year-old Queralt Castellet of Spain taking silver in her fifth Olympic appearance. Sena Tomita of Japan held off Cai Xuetong of China for bronze. Kim joins fellow American Shaun White as the only snowboarders to defend their Olympic titles in the halfpipe. White accomplished the feat in 2006 and ‘10. As the defending champion from the Pyeongchang Games, White can do it again on Friday.
SKIING Goggia won’t enter Super-G
Italian standout Sofia Goggia has decided not to enter the super-G race at the Beijing Olympics as she works her way back from a crash last month. She is still hoping to defend her downhill title on Tuesday. The powerhouse Italian team says its four starters for Friday’s super-G are Federica Brignone, Marta Bassino, Elena Curtoni and Francesca Marsaglia. Brignone, Curtoni and Goggia are 1-2-3 in this season’s World Cup super-G standings. Goggia won two races in the discipline this season. But she also sprained her left knee, partially tore a cruciate ligament, had a “minor fracture” of the fibula bone in her leg, plus some tendon damage, after the crash in a super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Jan. 23.
Iranian positive for steroids
Iran’s only male athlete at the Beijing Olympics has tested positive for an anabolic steroid in the first confirmed doping case at the Games. The International Testing Agency says Alpine skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki failed a drug test on Monday in Beijing, before competing. He is provisionally suspended and cannot compete at what was to be his third Olympics. The 36-year-old raced in slalom and giant slalom at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and four years later at Sochi. He carried Iran’s flag at the opening ceremony in Sochi. He can appeal against his provisional ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Beijing.
LUGE Germany dominating
Germany is making the Olympic luge competition its own national showcase once again. Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt won the doubles title at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday night, their third consecutive gold medal in the event. They finished two runs in 1 minute, 56.653 seconds, holding off fellow Germans Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken by 0.099 seconds. Austria’s Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller survived a wobble just before the finish line to get the bronze. Zack DiGregorio and Sean Hollander were 11th for the U.S. in their Olympic debut.