BIG START BY WHITE
American makes statement with halfpipe qualifying run
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Shaun White — now one of the old men of snowboarding at the age of 31 —proved he’s still the man to beat in the halfpipe.
The Olympic gold medalist in 2006 and 2010, who finished fourth at the 2014 games, threw down the gauntlet and scored 98.50 points in the second of two qualifying runs Tuesday. White, the final snowboarder, had scored 93.25 in his first run to advance comfortably but threw down another spectacular run to take the top spot in qualifying heading into the final runs (8 p.m. EST, NBC).
Among fellow Americans, Ben Ferguson qualified in fourth while Chase Josey and Jake Pates finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
U.S. names hockey goalie
Ryan Zapolski will start in goal for the U.S. men’s hockey team in its opener against Slovenia.
USA Hockey announced the decision Tuesday, removing the kind of intrigue the women’s team had before naming Maddie Rooney.
Zapolski was the no-doubt No. 1 goaltender. He was the first player late general manager Jim Johannson brought up to coach Tony Granato last summer. The 31-year-old from Erie, Pennsylvania, has been one of the best players in the Kontinental Hockey League this season.
Canadian is king of moguls
Mikael Kingsbury kept trying to convince himself the Olympics were just another event. That his legacy as one of the greatest moguls skiers ever didn’t necessarily rely on his performance at these Winter Olympics.
Then the 25-year-old Canadian, nicknamed the King of Moguls, woke up Monday morning with jitters in his stomach. The kind that don’t go away. Not even for a six-time world champion.
“I’ve never been nervous like that in my life,” Kingsbury said, adding he put so much pressure on himself “it was crazy.”
He found sanity and peace in a familiar spot: atop his skis atop a mountain looking down at a course he knew he could dominate like he has so many others during his long run atop his sport. One that doesn’t appear ready to end anytime soon. Not with gold around Kingsbury’s neck and the world at his feet.
Kingsbury stomped his way to the top of the podium in the men’s finals on Monday night, posting a score of 86.63 during his final run, the best of any in the three elimination rounds. He let loose after crossing the finish line, pumping his fist wildly.
German biathlete gets second gold
German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier became the first double gold medalist of the Olympics by capturing the women’s 10-kilometer pursuit at the Pyeongchang Games.
Dahlmeier previously won the 7.5-kilometer sprint on Sunday night.
French favorite rallies for gold
France’s Martin Fourcade, the world’s most dominant biathlete bounced back with a vengeance to win Olympic gold in the men’s 12.5-kilometer pursuit. The victory came after an uncharacteristically poor eighth-place performance in the opening sprint race Sunday that left the world’s No. 1 biathlete questioning himself.
USA’s Hamlin in luge medal hunt
Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger had the lead after Monday night’s first two runs of the women’s luge event, putting her in prime position to win a second straight Olympic title.
Geisenberger finished two runs in 1 minute, 32.454 seconds. She’ll take a lead of 0.12 seconds over Germany’s Dajana Eitberger into Tuesday night’s final two runs, while Canada’s Alex Gough, Germany’s Tatjana Huefner and Erin Hamlin of the U.S. are also within a quarter-second of Geisenberger.