Women’s Snowboard Cross
Snowboard Cross, like short-track Speedskating, seems like little more than roller derby on ice. Only instead of on skates around an oval, they compete in this sport on snowboards down a mountain.
But the real drama was in watching to see if Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States would finally exorcise her Olympic demons. After all, she crashed in the final just yards from winning gold in Torino, and then got disqualified in the semifinal when she was heavily favored to redeem herself four years later in Vancouver. Not to mention watching to see if she would vindicate all of the media attention and corporate endorsements vested in her over the past eight years (at the expense of certified Olympic champions like Shani Davis).
Alas, those demons had their way with her again. She crashed in the semifinal this time – just yards from the finish line and half a football field ahead of her nearest competitor. She finished 7th, effectively ending all hope of Olympic redemption for this now relatively aged 28-year old. But to appreciate her Olympic frustrations and shortcomings, imagine that, instead of winning gold in the Men’s 100m in Beijing and again in London, Usain Bolt got disqualified on both occasions for running outside his lane. Jacobellis was that dominant in Snowboard Cross going into Torino and Vancouver, and she was that favored to win gold on each occasion.
To be fair, though, chances are very good that if Jacobellis were at her best, and managed to avoid crashing this time, she still would not have won gold. Because 20-year-old Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic so outclassed the entire field that she looked every bit as invincible as Jacobellis did eight years ago in Torino. She won gold with ease; Dominique Maltais of Canada, silver; and Chloe Trespeuch of France, bronze.
Women’s Speedskating 1500 (long track)
Now they’re just rubbing their superior performances in other countries’ faces. Because speedskaters from the Netherlands reinforced their dominance by sweeping this event … too – with Jorien ter Mors winning gold, Ireen Wuest, silver; and Lotte Van Beek, bronze. But, just for good measure, their Dutch teammate Marrit Leenstra finished fourth.
Incidentally, of the 24 medals awarded in this sport so far, the Netherlands has won 16, including 5 of the 8 gold medals.
Meanwhile, proving (as their male counterparts did in this event yesterday) that their suits had nothing to do with their lousy performances, the American women came up lame again – with Heather Richardson finishing 7th; Brittany Bowe, 14th; and Jileanne Rookard, 18th. Enough said.
Men’s Super-G
A medal at last, a medal at last, thank God almighty, Team USA has won a medal at last!
My earlier commentaries will attest that the spectacular failure of Team USA’s male Alpine skiers to win any medal, let alone gold, has been one of the most surprising narratives of these Games. After all, this is akin to Team USA’s male Basketball players failing to win any medal at the summer Games, let alone the gold they’re always expected to win.
Unfortunately, vindication at this point is impossible for Team USA’s Alpine skiers in Sochi. But just as the women managed to wipe a little egg off their faces on Monday when Julia Mancuso won bronze in the Super-Combined, the men managed to do so today Andrew Weibrecht captured silver and Bode Miller (tied with Jan Hudec of Canada) captured bronze in this event.
After two missed opportunities at the Sochi Winter Olympics, Bode Miller won a bronze medal in the men’s super-G, upping his U.S. record to six career Alpine medals, tying him with Bonnie Blair for the second-most ever by an American Winter Olympian behind Apolo Anton Ohno’s eight. The achievement, in what is likely his last trip to the Games, left Miller in tears after the race.
(NBC, February 16, 2014)
Of course, it’s debatable whether those were tears of joy or relief. Whatever the case, this bronze also made Miller (at 36) the oldest medalist in Olympic Alpine history.
Apropos of unbridled joy, Kjetil Jansrud of Norway followed up his bronze in Downhill by winning gold in very impressive fashion.
I’m pooped
Watching (or staring at) as much streaming video as I have over the past two weeks is probably not good for my health … to say nothing of my already failing eyesight. Never mind the irony inherent in the cause for this being my addictive interest in watching the healthiest people on the planet compete in their respective sports.
Actually, I believe I deserve a gold medal – not just for watching so many events but for actively participating by writing so many commentaries on them as well (i.e., instead of sitting passively and eating it all up like a couch potato): over 150 hours of viewing and 14-consecutive days of commentaries. Bolt thinks he’s the friggin’ greatest thing on two legs; well, let’s see him do that!
(“London Olympics: Day 14,” The iPINIONS Journal, August 10, 2012)
Evidently, like the relatively old Bode Miller, I can only accomplish half the physical feats I used to. After all, where I made it through two weeks of London before pooping out, I’m only half way through Sochi and I’m already pooped. Of course, I’m also wise enough now to appreciate that it would’ve sufficed, and been more prudent, for me to watch only half of what I did during those London Games.
Thankfully, I’m interested in seeing only three events that have yet to play out in Sochi, namely, Men’s and Women’s Hockey and Women’s Figure Skating. I shall try very hard to muster what little residual energy I have to comment accordingly.
MEDAL COUNT
Netherlands: 17; Russia: 16; USA: 16
Related commentaries:
London Olympics…