Selected features and interviews, plus coverage from several Olympics: Features Dec. 1, 2015: US college sports are a factory for Olympic medalists – but for how much longer? (The Guardian) Nov. 7, 2015: Speed skating: can the US team shine after the failure of Sochi? (The Guardian) Aug. 30, 2015: Why Serena Williams, not Ronda Rousey, isContinue reading “Olympic sports writing: 2004-2015”
Tag Archives: cross-country skiing
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s 30k
We saw two races today — a three-way race between three Norwegians, then a race among everyone else. Norway had some frustration in these Olympics, but not today. Marit Bjoergen won her third gold medal of these Games. She’s tied for the women’s Winter Olympic career records with six golds and 10 medals. Date: 22-FebContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s 30k”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s team sprint
Norway slayed some demons in the Olympic venue, destroying the field to win the team sprint. Date: 19-Feb Sport: Cross-country skiing Event: Women’s team sprint (classical) Medalists: Norway, Finland, Sweden SportsMyriad projections: Sweden, Finland, Norway How U.S. fared: Sophie Caldwell and Kikkan Randall — one surprise and one shock of the individual freestyle sprint — hungContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s team sprint”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s relay
The now-familiar story: Great success for Sweden, horrible disappointment for Norway’s superstars. Russia got a crowd-pleasing silver, and France got a bronze no one expected. Date: 16-Feb Sport: Cross-country skiing Event: Men’s 4x10k relay (two classical legs, two freestyle) Medalists: Sweden, Russia, France SportsMyriad projections: Norway, Sweden, Russia How U.S. fared: Andy Newell was having a solid first leg, but somethingContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s relay”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s relay
Sweden won a thrilling three-team finish, while the perplexing Olympics continued for Norway and the USA. Date: 15-Feb Sport: Cross-country skiing Event: Women’s 4x5k relay (two classic legs, two freestyle legs) Medalists: Sweden, Finland, Germany SportsMyriad projections: Norway, Sweden, Finland How U.S. fared: Kikkan Randall is a better freestyle skier than a classic skier, butContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s relay”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s 15k
It’s Dario Cologna’s week. The Swiss skier picked up his second gold medal on another warm, slushy day in which the best-finishing Norwegian, Chris Andre Jespersen, wore tight shorts. Date: 14-Feb Sport: Cross-country skiing Event: Men’s 15k classical Medalists: Dario Cologna (Switzerland), Johan Olsson (Sweden), Daniel Richardsson (Sweden) SportsMyriad projections: Alexey Poltoranin (Kazakhstan), Maxim VylegzhaninContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s 15k”
Sochi recap: Cross-country, women’s 10k classical
You don’t usually see an Olympic cross-country race in short sleeves and tank tops, but that’s what we had here. And in the end, it was a Polish great with a broken foot — Justyna Kowalczyk — surviving the heat to take gold, while 15k skiathlon winner Marit Bjoergen faded and was unable to addContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country, women’s 10k classical”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s sprint
Think short-track has crazy crashes? Take a look at the final of an eventful men’s sprint, in which several favorites fell short in elimination rounds, a couple more were wiped out in a NASCAR-style crash, and another literally fell across the finish line to take bronze. Date: 11-Feb Sport: Cross-country skiing Event: Men’s sprint Medalists: OlaContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s sprint”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s skiathlon
Dario Cologna, whose favorite status was in doubt after an injury slowed him through the World Cup season, made the decisive move on the torturous uphill before the finish and held on for gold, while Russia endured another fourth-place result. Date: 9- Feb Sport: Cross-country skiing Event: Men’s skiathlon (15k classical + 15k freestyle) Medalists: Dario Cologna (Switzerland),Continue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, men’s skiathlon”
Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s skiathlon
No surprise here — Norwegian legend Marit Bjoergen is still going strong, and she never seemed troubled on her way to her fourth Olympic gold medal (third individual). Norway took two medals and showed some tears on the podium as they mourn the sudden death of teammate Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen’s brother. Date: 8- Feb Sport: Cross-country skiingContinue reading “Sochi recap: Cross-country skiing, women’s skiathlon”
