PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (AFP) — The showdown for the women’s figure skating title reaches its climax at the Pyeongchang Olympics on Friday while the top teams in men’s ice hockey battle for a place in the final.
Here are the highlights of day 14:
Figure skating
Russian rivals Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva take their battle for Olympic gold to a final showdown.
The two teenagers representing the Olympic Athletes of Russia (OAS) are friends and training partners and go onto the ice a slender 1.13 points apart following Thursday’s short program. The 15-year-old Zagitova holds the narrow advantage.
Ice hockey
The unbeaten Czechs play the OAS in the first men’s ice hockey final of the day. The Russians are hoping to go all the way to Sunday’s final showdown for the first time since 1992 when they won the gold. The Canadians, seeking their fourth title in five Olympic Games, are pitted against Germany and are big favorites for a place in Sunday’s showpiece final.
Biathlon
Martin Fourcade became France’s most decorated Olympian at the Pyeongchang Games and will be hoping to extend his record to six gold medals, four at the current Games, with a victory for France in the men’s relay. However, the Norwegians are always a threat in biathlon and it will be no different in this 4×7.5km event.
Freestyle skiing
Sochi gold medalist Marielle Thompson is among the starters hoping to give Canada its third consecutive Olympic title in women’s ski cross. The spectacular extreme sport triggered the alarm on Wednesday with the number of injuries and wipeouts during the men’s event. Canadian Christopher Del Bosco suffered a broken pelvis and fractured ribs while Frenchman Terence Tchiknavorian broke a leg.
Curling
South Korea’s so-called “garlic girls” take on Japan in the women’s curling semi-finals. Ranked eighth in the world before the Olympics, the Koreans, known by their nicknames Pancake, Yogurt, Steak, Cookie and Sunny, have built up a following in South Korea with their giant-killing exploits on ice. Sweden plays Britain in the other semifinal.
© Agence France-Presse