MIXED ZONE
Russian Olga Graf made quite a stir in Sochi on Sunday — and not only for winning Russia’s first medal of the Games, a bronze in the women’s 3,000-metre speedskating event. After finishing the race, she pulled down the zipper of her suit without thinking. “I totally forgot that I had nothing under my suit,” she said afterwards. “Because we have very tight suits, you just want to breathe and take off your suit. I realized it after that. Maybe this video will appear on YouTube.”
DOUBLE TAKE
The Swedish men’s hockey team may be down a twin with the absence of Canucks’ captain Henrik Sedin, but there was no shortage of look-alikes on the ice in Sochi when the U.S. and Switzerland faced off in women’s hockey. Forwards Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux dressed for the U.S., while Switzerland deployed two sets of twins: Julia and Stefanie Marty and Laura and Sara Benz.
SPEAKING OF TWINS
Dutch speedskaters Michel and Ronald Mulder are aiming to become the second twins after American alpine skiers Phil and Steven Mahre to win an Olympic medal in the same individual event at the same Winter Olympics. The Mahres won gold (Phil) and silver (Steven) in the slalom at Sarajevo in 1984. The Mulders compete in the 500-metre race at Adler Arena.
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?
Canadian short-track skater Jessica Hewitt showed up at training Sunday looking a little worse for wear. The true story behind the cuts on her face? “I was biking last night back from the rink to go to the dining room and I cut across a pathway and I didn’t see some big metal spikes sticking out of the grass,” she said. “So I hit that and fell face-first.” What she’s telling people? “The stray dogs got me.”
THE PAIN OF IT ALL
Canadian slopestyle bronze medallist Mark McMorris isn’t the only athlete battling rib pain in Sochi. American halfpipe skier Torin Yater-Wallace — the 2013 world silver medallist — suffered a brutal injury last year that left his Olympics in question. “In December, I had four broken ribs, a collapsed lung for the second time. I was in a hospital for three-and-a-half weeks with two tubes in my chest. I lost 15 pounds. The thought of not making the team was terrible. I am so thankful I made the fourth spot.”
THEY SAID IT The amount of love that has come in over the past 24hrs is UNBELIEVABLE! I love you all!!! #mytwittermightbreakitsrib.
MARK MCMORRIS,
Canadian snowboarder, via Twitter, after winning a bronze medal while competing with broken ribs.