Day 6 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

The United States had some notable wins on Day 6 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Here’s who took the eight gold medals that were at stake on Thursday.

Alpine Skiing: Austria’s Johannes Strolz captured the gold in the men’s alpine combined event.

Cross-Country Skiing: Norway’s Therese Johaug won the women’s 10km classic event.

Figure Skating: Nathan Chen brought home the gold for the United States in the men’s singles skating event.

Freestyle skiing: Team USA also won the mixed team aerials event.

Luge: Germany clinched the gold in the team relay event for their third straight victory in the event.

Snowboard

Austria’s Alessandro Hämmerle emerged victorious in men’s snowboard cross event.  

United States’ Chloe Kim retained her title in the women’s snowboard halfpipe event.

Speed Skating: Irene Schouten of Netherlands captured her second gold of the Games in the women’s 5,000m event. 

Take a look at where the official Olympic medal count stands so far.

An Olympic legend’s career will come to an end in the next 24 hours.

Shaun White, one of snowboarding’s biggest names, announced on Saturday he will retire after the Beijing Winter Games.

The 35-year-old said that a series of injuries influenced his decision to call time on his distinguished career.

White, once dubbed the “Flying Tomato” because of his flowing red hair, has won three halfpipe Olympic gold medals since his Winter Games debut at Turin in 2006, adding 13 titles at the Winter X Games to become one of the sport’s most iconic figures.

He will make his last Olympic bow as the men’s snowboard halfpipe final gets underway at 8.30 p.m ET.

“I’ve done so much in the sport – I hope that my riding speaks for itself,” White said in his retirement announcement.

“I’m always trying to push and progress and do the next biggest things and try to pick up with what trends are happening within the sport and be ahead of that curve. I’m just kind of enjoying every moment.

“I’m most proud of staying on top of the sport that’s ever-changing for as long as I have done. That’s legacy performance.”

Take a look back at White’s career here.

The drug trimetazidine is at the center of a doping controversy surrounding the Russian Olympic Committee at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

It is listed in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) 2021 prohibited substances under the category of “hormone and metabolic modulators,” a class of drugs that have been banned by WADA due to evidence of athletes using them for performance enhancement.

“What this drug does is actually make your heart work more efficiently. It doesn’t change your blood pressure very much or change your heart rate,” Dr. Elizabeth Murray, paediatric emergency medicine physician at the University of Rochester Medical Center, told CNN’s Early Start program on Thursday.

“An athlete wouldn’t get jittery or necessarily feel all that different, but they would theoretically be able to perform at a higher level for longer. It would increase their endurance, potentially,” she added.

The most famous case of doping involving trimetazidine is Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, who was handed a three-month suspension in 2014 after testing positive for the drug.

Banned metabolic modulators have been used by cyclists, weightlifters, boxers, wrestlers, skiers and other athletes from dozens of countries including Russia, Poland, Columbia, Belgium and Germany.

Here are more key things to know: Controversy surrounding a drugs test — reportedly taken in December — that has only come to light during the Winter Olympics in Beijing continues to delay the medal ceremony of the figure skating team event, which was won by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

Russian newspaper RBC Sport reported on Wednesday that a member of the ROC’s figure skating team tested positive for trimetazidine, according to a source familiar with the situation and a source in the Russian Figure Skating Federation.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not mentioned any athletes in connection with the case.

What is the ROC? Russian athletes are unable to compete in the Olympics under their country’s name due to sanctions from the IOC and WADA as a result of the country’s “systemic manipulation” of anti-doping rules during the 2014 Sochi Games.

At the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, Russian athletes who could prove that they were clean were “invited” by the IOC to compete as an “Olympic Athlete from Russia” (OAR) under the Olympic flag and anthem.

In February 2021, the IOC announced Russian athletes would compete as neutrals under the ROC acronym at the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympics.

Read more about trimetazidine and the controversy surrounding it here.

Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva, who is at the center of a drug testing controversy at Beijing 2022, has received the support of the Kremlin back in Moscow, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov would not confirm reports of a positive test among the Russian figure skating team.

“It [the reports] flared up among those who did not have verified information,” said Peskov. “As usual, not knowing the details, everyone began to yell far and wide. We will not join this orderly row of yellers.”

It remains unclear exactly when the positive test was taken, but Russian newspaper RBC Sport reported on Wednesday that a failed drug test was taken in December and has only come to light during the Winter Olympics.

The controversy has continued to delay the medal ceremony of the figure skating team event, which was won by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

“The only primary source of information should be the IOC,” Peskov added.

“You have heard the IOC statements, there is no point for us to add anything here. We are guided by the IOC and we wish our athletes, including Valieva, only gold medals.”

Multiple sources have told CNN Sports analyst Christine Brennan the athlete from the figure skating team event on the ROC team who tested positive for a prohibited substance is a minor.

The only minor on the ROC figure skating team is the 15-year-old star Valieva, who made history in the team event this week as the first woman to land a quad jump at the Winter Olympics.

Valieva is the favorite to take gold in the women’s figure skating event — probably the most celebrated event at the Winter Olympics. That competition gets underway on Feb. 15.

RBC Sport reported on Wednesday that a member of the ROC’s figure skating team tested positive for trimetazidine, according to a source familiar with the situation and a source in the Russian Figure Skating Federation.

CNN has reached out to the ROC for comment but has not yet received a response.

Trimetazidine is a drug used to treat people with a heart condition known as Angina, a condition in which a person has chest pain due to poor blood flow to the heart. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list.

The ROC team won gold in the team event ahead of the USA in silver and Japan in third.

Read the full details on this story here.

As Day 6 of the Winter Olympics draws to a close, take a look back at a few of the best photos from Thursday.

See more of the best photos from the Games so far.

Irene Schouten won gold in the women’s 5,000m speed skating event in an Olympic record time and admitted she wasn’t feeling “that much pressure” beforehand.

Schouten won her second gold medal of Beijing 2022 in stunning fashion, breaking a 20-year-old Olympic record set by Germany’s Claudia Pechstein at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

The Dutch skater’s 6:43.51 time was just over four and a half seconds faster than Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann, who won the silver.

The 29-year-old said she felt relaxed before taking to the ice, adding that her two gold medals from Beijing are “something no one will ever take away from me.”

“On the 3,000m, there was a lot of pressure, and on the 5,000m, I was more like: ‘I have the Olympic gold, now, I can just skate fast.’ I didn’t feel that much pressure. It was completely different today. I was way more relaxed,” she told the media. 

“I spoke about it with my coach because I was a bit like, ‘I shouldn’t be too relaxed,’ but luckily that wasn’t the case. 

“I felt really good in training, so of course, you want to go for the second one.” 

It was her second new Olympic record of the Games, having set a new fastest time in the 3,000m event on Saturday.

And Schouten admitted that she knew that she’d have to be particularly fast on the day if she wanted to finish first in the 5,000m race.

“I knew that if I wanted to win, I had to break the Olympic record, but I didn’t think about 6:43 (6:43.51).

“When I saw the time of Isabelle Weidemann, I thought: ‘Oh sh*t, this is really fast,’ but then I skated and felt really good. I could go faster every lap.”

“The first three laps weren’t great, I had to find my rhythm. But with six laps to go, I still felt really good. I knew I could slowly accelerate and build up my speed. I felt like I had the power over those last five laps.” 

Germany won their third straight luge team relay gold in a dramatic finale at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre.

Composed of multiple gold medal winners Natalie Geisenberger, Johannes Ludwig and pairing Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, Germany were the clear favorites to retain their title in Beijing.

The event was first added to the Olympics in 2014, with Germany winning gold at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018.

The gauntlet was laid down by the Austrian team moments before, setting a time of 3:03.486.

Geisenberger, fresh off winning gold in the women’s singles luge, got the Germans going but they were still behind the Austrians when she tagged in Ludwig.

And even after Ludwig — who won gold in the men’s singles event days before — finished, the reigning champions still trailed.

But behind the brilliant Wendl and Arlt, the Germans managed to get their noses in front, finishing just 0.8 seconds ahead to claim gold.

The gold is the seventh Olympic medal for Geisenberger, who passes Armin Zöggeler as the most decorated luge athlete in the history of the Olympic Games.

Austria finished with the silver medal while Latvia won bronze.

American John Landsteiner (L) clearly missed the hairstyle memo from his teammates Matt Hamilton (center) and Christopher Plys (R) for their curling competition.

The sport may have been invented and played on the frozen waters of Scotland in the 16th century, but those lochs have nothing on the flowing locks on display in Beijing.

10/10 hair for us.

Irene Schouten won her second Beijing 2022 gold medal in stunning fashion, breaking a 20-year-old Olympic record in the women’s 5,000m speed skating event at the National Speed Skating Oval.

The 29-year-old’s blistering 6:43.51 time smashed the record set by Germany’s Claudia Pechstein at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002 and was just over four and a half seconds faster than Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann, who won the silver.

Incredibly, Schouten’s time was over three seconds quicker than Pechstein’s original record of 6:46.91.

It’s not only Schouten’s second gold in Beijing but also her second new Olympic record of the Games, having set a new fastest time in the 3,000m event on Saturday.

Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic rounded out the podium places for bronze.

Team USA made history at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on Thursday, edging out China to win the first-ever mixed team aerials gold medal in freestyle skiing.

The Olympic gold medal is the first for the US in aerial freestyle skiing since 1998. 

Athletes from the host nation jumped out to the lead in the first run, behind a strong effort by Xu Mengtao’s 106.03 jump. Christopher Lillis, though, would answer with a back double full-full-double full to post a competition-high score of 135 to lead the United States to the title. 

After the competition, Lillis told reporters, “This has been a three-year process for us, for me getting ready for this Olympic Games and being able to throw those quintuple twisting triples. I was just happy to get the opportunity to throw one and to put it down.”

China finished in second with a score 324.22 and Canada finished with the bronze with a score of 290.98.

Watching Michelle Kwan, five-time world champion and one of the most decorated figure skaters in US history, was “inspirational,” Nathan Chen said after winning the men’s singles event.

“Having athletes that look like you certainly gives you the hope that you can do the same,” the 22-year-old said. “I’ll never really reach Michelle Kwan stature but just to be able to have someone like that when I was growing up is really powerful. That goes back to the power of representation.”

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Speaking of the biathlon, it may be a sport that you are unaccustomed with.

A combination of skiing and shooting, it can be traced back to Scandinavia, where people would hunt using skis and have rifles draped over their shoulders.

At the Winter Olympics, skiing and shooting take the form of a race, where competitors ski along a trail and the distance is punctuated into shooting rounds. Penalties for missed shots vary with each event and take the form of either additional time, or distance, being added to a participant’s total.

Before the biathlon was introduced at the 1960 Winter Games in California, an older version of the sport appeared in previous editions of the Olympics. The military patrol involved athletes competing in ski mountaineering, cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

There are 33 medals up for grabs across 11 biathlon events: the women’s 7.5km sprint, 15km individual, 10km pursuit, 12.5km mass start and 4x6km relay. In the men’s draw, events include the 10km sprint, 20km individual, 12.5km pursuit, 15km mass start and 4x7.5km relay. A 4x6km mixed relay event is also scheduled to take place.

So far, Norway have won gold in the 4x6km mixed relay event, Germany’s Denise Herrmann won gold in the women’s 15km individual and Quentin Fillon Maillet of France finished first in the men’s 20km individual.

Read more about the events at the Beijing Winter Games here.

Family connections are not unheard of at the Winter Olympics – Tuesday’s men’s 20km biathlon saw two Canadian brothers competing against each other – but perhaps no family has ever made their name in an event quite like the Slettemarks.

After Ukaleq Slettemark competed in the women’s 15km individual biathlon on Monday, the family from Greenland have quite literally carried the biathlon hopes of the world’s largest island on their shoulders.

The 20-year-old’s father, Oystein, was Greenland’s first Olympic biathlete. Her mother, Uiloq, is the president of the territory’s biathlon federation.

It doesn’t stop there – her two younger siblings join Ukaleq in being Greenland’s only competitive biathletes.

“It is my family. There’s really no one else,” Ukaleq said.

Representing Denmark – whom Greenlandic athletes compete for at the Games – Ukaleq finished 53rd.

The 20-year-old finished 6:14.7 behind gold medal winning German Denise Herrmann, with France’s Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet and Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roeiseland completing the podium.

Slettemark’s race suit featured tunniit markings as a nod to the Inuit roots of her Greenlandic heritage.

Her mother Uiloq, who represented Greenland at seven world championships according to the Olympic website, said the country is due a biathlon boom if facilities develop.

“I started hunting with my family when I was eight, shot my first reindeer when I was 10,” Uiloq said.

“You are allowed to hunt from when you are 12 years old. It’s more of a daily life to handle a gun.

“Since we have snow, we already have cross-country skiers, as soon as we get a biathlon range, the interest will be much more than it is now.”

Until then, biathlon in Greenland belongs to the Slettemarks.

The ROC’s Anastasiia Prytkova took to the air today in her practice run for the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials. Safe to say, she’s ready to tag team towards medal contention.

For Donovan Carrillo, his journey to the Olympics has been nothing if not winding.

Born in football-mad Mexico, figure skating wasn’t the go-to sport for kids. But even in the face of opposition, Carrillo chose to stick it out.

“As a kid, I got bullied in school for practicing figure skating because other kids say that this was a sport just for girls,” the 22-year-old explained after finishing 22nd in the men’s free skating program on Thursday.

“Because we don’t have many boys practicing or competing; now, we have one. But before, it was something very unusual. But I always knew I liked it, so I decided to not listen to them and focus on my skating.”

As a 13-year-old, Carrillo chose to leave his family in Guadalajara because the rink closed.

Living in León, the only available place Carrillo train could was the local ice rink, and the venue wasn’t shut off to regular patrons while he took to the ice. He had to practice his toeloops and jumps while others skated around him.

At the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, Carrillo became the first Mexican male figure skating Olympian since Albertville 1992, when Riccardo Olavarrieta took to the ice in the short program.

But after entering the rink at the Capital Indoor Stadium on Thursday, Carrillo says competing at the Winter Olympics for Mexico is a “dream.”

“Everything began with a dream. When we are kids, we always watch the Olympics on TV. As I was a lover of sports, I always wanted to represent my country in one of (the) Olympics. I made it with figure skating. So for me, the Olympics, it’s just a proof that dreams come true.”

Carrillo continued: “Representing my country in the Winter Olympics with the best athletes all over the world in figure skating is something really inspiring for me and I think, not just for me, but for my whole country.

“Now, after my performance in the short program, I received a lot of messages from them to tell me they were super proud of me. I’m just grateful for that and also motivated to do my best and keep fighting for more dreams, more goals.

“I hope my performance here in Beijing can inspire more kids and (the) young to develop and practice winter sports. In my country, we don’t have ski, we don’t have snowboard. But, at least, we have figure skating and hockey, so I would like to invite them to try because maybe they can find their passion and also their self, just like I did with figure skating.”

Nathan Chen was quick to pay tribute to two of his heroes following his first Olympic gold medal: Michelle Kwan and his mom.

The 22-year-old ‘quad king’ delivered two masterful performances – breaking the short program world record on Tuesday – to carve his name into history as the eighth American gold medal in the discipline, according to the Olympic website.

To achieve that lifelong dream in Beijing – the city where his mother grew up and where his parents met before emigrating to the US – only sweetened the satisfaction.

“It means the world to be able to be here,” Chen told CNN’s Selina Wang.

“I know that they did everything that they could to give us – I’m the youngest of five – to give all of us… opportunities to pursue (our dreams), without having many resources themselves.”

Chen reflected on his mother’s selfless efforts to support his early training, accompanying him to rinks and helping to fund coaching despite money being tight.

“Certainly, that’s not super conventional,” Chen said of his mother’s attendance at the rinks. “People wanted me to be with the coach and my parents somewhere else.

“She faced a lot and sheltered a lot from me, so I don’t even know a lot of the details, but when I asked her, she always just gets very upset.”

Having grown up in Salt Lake City – host of the 2002 Games – Chen was captivated by the Olympics from a young age, helped by the “inspirational” performances of Michelle Kwan.

A five-time world champion and one of the most decorated figure skaters in US history, Kwan won bronze at Nagano 1998 before adding silver at Salt Lake City four years later.

“Having a face like Michelle Kwan was really inspirational,” Chen said.

“Having athletes that look like you certainly gives you the hope that you can do the same.

“I’ll never really reach Michelle Kwan stature but just to be able to have someone like that when I was growing up is really powerful. That goes back to the power of representation.”

Norway’s Therese Johaug produced a stunning late comeback to clinch the gold medal in the women’s 10km cross-country classic at the Winter Olympics on Thursday. 

The 33-year-old had built up an early lead but was soon reeled in by the Finnish pair of Krista Parmakoski and Kerttu Niskanen.

Niskanen looked on course for gold after breaking away from the pack and at one stage held a lead of 11 seconds over her rivals.

But Johaug fought back to claim a dramatic gold – edging out Niskanen by just 0.4 seconds.

Parmakoski finished in the bronze medal position.

After the race, Johaug said: “I cannot find words for it. It’s so good and it’s so big for me. Today, it was a close race with the Finnish girls, but I was feeling really well at the end of the race and I had a lot of power in the last hill.

“It’s so much more fun to stand at the top of the podium when you know that you have won a big fight out there, so I was giving my best and I’m so happy now.”

It was Johaug’s second individual gold at Beijing 2022 after she claimed top spot in the women’s 7.5km + 7.5km skiathlon on Saturday.

He has been coined ‘Iron Man’ for his choice of helmet, and South Korean skeleton star Yun Sung-bin will require a superhero fightback befitting of his nickname to claw back a disappointing start to Beijing 2022.

The South Korean became a global star four years ago in Pyeongchang when he slid to his country’s first ever skeleton gold, becoming the first athlete from outside Europe and North America to win a medal in a sliding event.

His acclaim was heightened by his iconic helmet, yet like Samson and his hair, it would seem that Yun’s headwear was the source of his strength.

After his request to wear his signature helmet was allegedly denied by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), two disappointing heats on Thursday have left the 27-year-old needing a miracle to defend his crown, or even make the podium.

“I trained about seven to eight years wearing that helmet,” Yun told a reporter. “It doesn’t feel like I’m competing.”

Yun did not explain the IOC’s reasons for denying his request.

Having placed 13th after the first heat — 1.26 seconds slower than German pace-setter Christopher Grotheer — Yun could only climb one place to 12th after the second of four total heats.

Grotheer leads compatriot Axel Jungk by 0.7 seconds at the summit, with Yun trailing the leader by 2.1 seconds heading into Friday’s final two heats at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre.

“I made so many mistakes, so much lost time,” Yun said.

“I’m not really happy, but I hope tomorrow will be good.

“Very difficult training season with the virus, Covid, so I couldn’t train really much and make this result maybe.”

Chinese slider Yan Wengang holds onto the bronze medal place ahead of Friday’s finale, 0.75 seconds off the top pace.

Team USA’s Andrew Blaser is 21st after the first two heats, his combined time of 2:03.88 leaving him 3.55 seconds behind Grotheer.

After successfully defending her Olympic title in the snowboarding halfpipe, Chloe Kim discusses the pressure she previously put on herself to be “perfect” and how she came to realize, “It’s okay to have a bad day.”

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Read more about Kim’s defense of her halfpipe gold here.

Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who finished in fourth place at this year’s Winter Games, may not have clinched a medal, but his legions of fans still think he’s a winner.

“Yuzuru Hanyu, you are a true warrior, a master; what you do on the ice comes from heaven, unable to be measured by mortals.

“You fought so hard on that ankle, fought hard against fate; you are nothing short of incredible. 

“You are the GOAT, the KING, an EMPEROR, a GOD!” tweeted one social media user.

The official Twitter account for Beijing 2022 also posted a message supporting Hanyu, saying: “We are so touched and inspired by his devotion and commitment. He is a true Ice Prince!”

Yuzuru Hanyu’s most ardent fans — known as “fanyus” — transcend borders and geopolitical tensions. Despite the historic rivalry between Japan and China, in October 2021, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying tweeted that Japanese Hanyu fans could count on their Chinese counterparts to cheer on the skater. 

“I spotted Japanese fans saying they’d trust in fans here to cheer on Yuzuru Hanyu. Leave it to us! Thanks for understanding China’s Covid-19 measures,” Hua wrote.

After the free skate program, Hanyu told reporters in a trembling voice that he felt like he had given his performance his all. 

“I tried really hard. To be honest, I think I worked harder than ever … There were many things that didn’t go well from the short program … but I did my best,” said Hanyu. 

Austria’s gold medalist Johannes Strolz said it was a “dream coming true” to win the same event that his father — also an Olympic champion — once won.

His father, skier Hubert Strolz, won the men’s alpine combined 34 years ago.

“When I think about it, all the pictures and the gold medal of my father, it’s hard for me not to cry. It’s just a dream coming true.”

He thanked his family and those who had supported him, saying he reached his win by trusting his coaches, his own abilities and the training he had done over the years.

Chinese fans of the Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu flocked to the perimeter of the Olympic bubble on Thursday.

Many carried Winnie the Pooh toys and waved signs saying “You are the best!!!”

Hanyu has a big following in China, where he is known as the “Ice Prince.”

And since he began carrying a tissue box in the shape of the much loved A.A. Milne character back in 2010, fans have regularly carried the bear as a mascot, as well as showering the rink with Winnie-the-Pooh toys after he skates.

The 27-year-old finished in fourth place in the men’s figure skating competition today, behind Team USA’s Nathan Chen and fellow Japanese skaters Yuma Kagiyama and Shoma Uno.

It needed a photo to separate the winners in the men’s snowboard cross big final Thursday as Austria’s Alessandro Haemmerle crossed the line just inches ahead of Canada’s Eliot Grondin.

The official photo finish confirmed Haemmerle as the gold medalist, as Grondin was forced to settle for silver.

Italy’s Omar Visintin took the bronze.

Austria’s Johannes Strolz has won Olympic gold in men’s alpine combined. It comes 34 years after his father, Hubert Strolz, accomplished the same feat in the same event, back at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Silver goes to Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, his second medal of Beijing 2022.

Canada’s James Crawford earns bronze.

Team USA’s Chloe Kim, who won the gold medal at the women’s snowboarding halfpipe final today, has defended her friend and fellow gold medalist Eileen Gu, the US-born Chinese freeskier.

“I don’t want to say too much on the Eileen situation, I think she made her choice, and I’m so proud of her for making that decision,” Kim told reporters on Thursday. “I know it was difficult for her to do.”

Kim added that the two had met three years ago when Gu was 15. Gu had asked Kim —who is of South Korean heritage — how she decided she wanted to compete for the US, Kim said.

“I just told her honestly, you know, I was born and raised here, my family immigrated here, all my friends and family are here, and that was my reason. But everyone has their own reasons, so it’s not fair to hold her to the same standard,” Kim said.

She added that she was proud of Gu for all she had accomplished — and for winning gold on her Olympic debut, age just 18. “I’m always here for her when she needs me,” Kim added.

Some context: Gu has been at the center of controversy for much of the Olympics, and even in the months beforehand. Born in San Francisco, she decided in 2019 to switch to compete for China instead of the US — but has never publicly clarified whether she renounced her US citizenship, usually a requirement for Chinese naturalization.

Defending Olympic champion snowboarder Chloe Kim cinched the gold for Team USA in the women’s halfpipe in Beijing Thursday, after pulling far into the lead on her first run.

“I was so proud of myself. I had the worst practice, ever,” said Kim, who shouted with joy and sunk to her knees at the bottom of the halfpipe after landing the run and earning what would be the winning score of 94.

The flawless performance — in which she nailed frontside 10 and cab 10 tricks — was especially emotional after practice runs in which she missed sticking landings multiple times, the 21-year-old American said.

“I probably landed my run twice (in practice) when I’m used to landing it eight times, normally, and so that puts you in a weird headspace … I overflowed with emotion when I was able to land it on the first go, and it opened up a lot of opportunity for me to go try something new,” Kim said.

That meant going for some riskier tricks in the second and third runs, including a 1260 — a level of complexity past the two 1080s the athlete nailed in her first effort.

Kim fell in the second and third runs, but was glad she aimed for the complex move.

“It was worth it for sure, 1,000%. That’s what keeps me going. I wish I’d landed it, but next time,” she said, adding that she had “pretty recently” learned the trick and had yet to fully practice it in this halfpipe.

Read more:

Related article Snowboarder Chloe Kim grabs Olympic gold

Team USA’s gold medal-winning figure skater Nathan Chen said clinching the Olympic title had “always been a dream of mine, but it’s been a pretty daunting mountain.”

Speaking after his win at the men’s single competition on Thursday, he said, “everything has been a whirlwind.”

“Halfway through my program I was like, I should probably smile a bit more,” he added. Successfully executing every jump in his routine was “quite a relief and you can start to enjoy footwork and the rest of the program,” he said.

Chen’s flawless performance, set to Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Rocket Man” among other songs, earned him a massive score of 218.63 — far ahead of the competition. He also became the first American since Evan Lysacek in 2010 to win a men’s figure skating gold medal.

Two kings of ice: Chen, 22, avenges his performance from four years ago at the Pyeongchang Games when he finished fifth in the same event.

“2018 was a tough skate … I did not feel I was a favorite to win,” Chen told reporters today, adding, “Yuzuru has been on a hot trajectory.”

Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu, who won the event in 2018, placed fourth today after falling on two jumps and fumbling the short program earlier this week. He was also unable to execute an unprecedented quadruple axel.

“I honestly left everything out there,” he said after the competition, according to the official Olympics site. “I have nothing left to give. I was at top gear right from the start and thought I rotated the [quad] axel well. I went for it, and it’s something I’ll cherish forever.”

When the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games come around every four years, there are many sports which compete to grab the attention of viewers around the world.

However, there is one in particular that seems to capture the hearts and minds of many every time: curling.

Whether it be the seemingly manic brushing done in front of the stone or the incredible skill needed to accurately slide stones into precise positions from so far away, curling becomes must-watch TV.

The game earned the moniker, The Roarin’ Game, from the roar sound which comes from the granite stone as it travels over the ice.

With curling action underway in Beijing, here’s everything you need to know:

Related article Curling: What is it? How do you play it?

Jenise Spiteri might be one of the most interesting Olympians at these Games. 

Ten years ago, the 29-year-old asked her Facebook friends to teach her how to snowboard in a halfpipe. Today, she’s the only Olympian representing the European island of Malta.

The San Francisco-born snowboarder, easily recognizable for her brightly dyed hair, went viral after her halfpipe qualifying run Wednesday.

Spiteri was too nervous to eat before competing yesterday, so she stuffed a red bean bun in her pocket for later. She forgot about it and ended up doing her entire run with her steamed snack in her pocket.

When she got to the bottom of the halfpipe, she reached for her phone — and found the food instead, still intact. Spiteri then took a bite for the world to see. 

Internet famous: When I saw her at the halfpipe final, where she was cheering on fellow snowboarders, she was eating food again: a plate full of salmon and cream cheese on bread, cookies — and of course, a red bean bun.

Now, she’s one of the more recognizable Olympians at the Beijing Games — as evidenced by the droves of people asking to take photos with her. 

That wasn’t the first time she had forgotten food in her pocket at the Games. She told me that she was eating a banana on her way to the opening ceremony, where she was the flagbearer for Malta — but there was no trash can to throw away the peel. So, she put it in her pocket.

Hours later, on the way back to the village, she felt something wet seeping through her shirt and she immediately knew what it was. 

Olympic ties: Spiteri told me that she wanted to honor her late grandfather by becoming an Olympian representing his home nation of Malta.

Joseph Spiteri started a figure skating boot company called SP-Teri when he moved to San Francisco decades ago. His skates have been worn by Olympians such as Team USA’s iconic skater Michelle Kwan.

He never got to see her compete, but Spiteri says she knows he’s proud.

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) spoke out on Thursday about the ongoing medal delay in Monday’s team figure skating competition. 

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) won the gold medal in Monday’s event, followed by Team USA in silver and Japan with bronze. 

But the medal ceremony was postponed after an ROC athlete tested positive for a banned substance, Russian newspaper RBC and CNN Sports analyst Christine Brennan reported Wednesday. 

Speaking at a news briefing on Thursday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesperson Mark Adams would not comment on the case, citing “legal implications.” 

“You will appreciate because there are legal implications involved in this, I can’t talk very much more about it at this stage. Hopefully, we will be able to give you an update during the day and it will become clearer, but it is an emerging issue so I can’t add much more at the moment,” he told reporters. 

Team USA’s Nathan Chen won gold after a flawless free skate routine at the men’s figure skating singles on Thursday, establishing his status as titan of the sport. He also became the first American since Evan Lysacek in 2010 to win a men’s figure skating gold medal.

The 22-year-old star went into today’s event in first place after a world record breaking performance at the short program earlier this week.

His long program opened with a quadruple flip, followed by a triple toe loop. He nailed every jump and move, with a total of five quad jumps, including a quadruple lutz — illustrating why he’s commonly called the “quad king.”

His joyful and energetic routine was set to a medley of songs, including Elton John’s “Rocket Man.” Every jump he performed was met with roaring cheers and claps from athletes and other spectators in the closed loop side of the stadium — though the other side, holding Chinese spectators, remained largely silent, according to CNN reporters in the stadium.

Chen was awarded a massive score of 218.63 — the highest of the season. That makes his total score 332.60.

Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver, with his compatriot Shoma Uno earning bronze. Chen’s main rival coming into the Games, Yuzuru Hanyu, finished fourth.

When people think of the beloved Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics mascot Bing Dwen Dwen, the panda’s round figure and shiny ice suit come to mind.

A deep masculine voice, it seems, does not — but that’s what people got on Tuesday when the mascot began talking on national TV in China, much to public displeasure.

The mascot — or rather, an inflatable suit version of Bing Dwen Dwen — began speaking on state broadcaster CCTV during an interview with Chinese freeskier Yang Shuorui. To people’s surprise, it was a male voice that emerged from the suit — and they quickly took to social media to complain.

“Bing Dwen Dwen started talking, I was so disillusioned,” another Weibo user wrote. Others agreed, calling the voice “disgusting” and saying they couldn’t finish watching.

Some even pointed out that Olympic mascots are banned from talking under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, to maintain a gender neutral status. The Beijing Olympic Committee had signed a contract with the IOC prohibiting Bing Dwen Dwen from talking, according to state-run news outlet Procuratorate Daily.

Censors tried to stem the outcry, banning certain hashtags on Weibo like “Bing Dwen Dwen started talking.” The program, which had been promoted ahead of its run, was pulled from the CCTV website on Wednesday.

Japanese all-time great Yuzuru Hanyu fell attempting the fabled quadruple axel in his free skate Thursday — as he desperately tried to pull his score up.

The “Ice Prince” came into the competition in eighth place today after a sub-par show in the short program Tuesday.

The jump: The quadruple axel is a highly difficult skill that has never been completed in competition — and one Hanyu had not even managed to complete in practice before bringing it to the ice today.

It involves four and a half rotations in the air, and is the only jump in the sport where skaters take off facing forward, according to the Olympics website.

Hanyu fell a second time soon after when performing a quad salchow jump, but nailed the rest of his jumps and elements successfully for a final score of 186.06.

That score placed him at the top of the leaderboard — but that’s likely to be a temporary reprieve for Hanyu. A number of skaters are yet to perform, including his biggest rival, Team USA’s Nathan Chen — who’s tipped to win gold.

Love from the fans: Hanyu is hugely popular as the winner of the same event at Pyeongyang 2018. He was greeted with loud applause in the stadium from athletes and Chinese spectators alike.

Before he started his routine, a Chinese child could be heard shouting from the stands, “Add oil” — a phrase of encouragement. The only other time the child cheered on a skater was for Chinese competitor Jin Boyang, according to a CNN reporter in the crowd.

After Hanyu finished the program, he bowed to the public, with fans waving Japan flags from the stands.

Throughout the 2022 Winter Games, Beijing has emphasized the tight controls around its “closed loop” system that separates Olympic athletes, staff and participants from the outside public.

But at the Capital Indoor Stadium Thursday, people from both inside and outside the bubble are sitting under the same roof to watch the men’s figure skating.

Outside the loop: Invited spectators — considered people outside the loop — face a lengthy process including four Covid-19 tests. That’s two tests in the days before entering, and two more in the week afterward. Buses carrying the spectators into the bubble parked far from the stadium, with throngs of volunteers and security guards then guiding people on the 15-minute walk to the entrance.

That walk passes through pedestrian bridges and tunnels — all marked with a dedicated path that cordons off spectators from commuters on their way to work.

Inside the loop: The path isn’t much easier for those already inside the bubble, either. They must take dedicated cars to venues, sometimes driving through special Olympic lanes — which are often empty, while other lanes outside the loop are packed with cars stuck in traffic.

Both in the stadium: For all this trouble, the two groups end up in the same place: inside the stadium, albeit in different sections and forbidden to interact. CNN reporters in both groups could see each other — just about — over the massive ice rink, where the men’s short program is now underway.

There’s buzz and activity inside the Beijing Capital Indoor Stadium, where the men’s figure skating competition is underway.

The media lounge is packed with people and volunteers eager to help. Many eyes are glued to the TV screens, waiting for the stars of the show — Team USA’s Nathan Chen, who’s currently in the lead, and Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu, who won at the last Winter Olympics but is now placed eighth.

They aren’t due to compete until later — but many spectators have entered the stadium early to cheer the other skaters on. Party pop music plays in between performances, with some fans on the edge of their seats as they wait for scores to be announced.

As I walked through the lounge to grab a snack, an English-speaking volunteer told me he was thrilled to be here during his winter break. 

Inside the venue, the media seats are packed while the spectator section is about half full. There’s a sense of anticipation, with fans clapping and waving flags when the skaters land a perfect jump — a Mexican and Belarusian flag are seen in the mix.

After exiting the rink, the skaters immediately put their sweaters and masks back on — making clear just how much effort they’re putting in, with their face masks puffing in and out through their heavy breathing.

The Beijing Olympic Committee identified nine new Covid-19 cases among Winter Games-related personnel on Wednesday, it said in a statement Thursday, as total cases linked to the event surpassed 400.

Among the new cases, six were found among airport arrivals and three from those already inside the “closed loop” system, which separates Olympic athletes and staff from the Beijing public. 

Seven of the new cases involved athletes or team officials, three of whom were inside the closed loop.

Olympic cases: Since the closed loop system officially began on Jan. 23, a total of 407 Olympics-related cases have been identified, including 169 infections among athletes and team officials.

More than 1.1 million Covid tests have been conducted inside the loop since Jan. 23, with 13,096 people now inside the bubble, according to the statement.

Team USA’s snowboarding phenomenon Chloe Kim fist-bumped Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, after winning gold at the women’s halfpipe final on Thursday.

Kim, 21, shot to the top of the leaderboard with her first run’s score of 94 — which nobody else could touch.

Kim had other famous faces cheering her on, with good friend and gold medal-winning freeskier Eileen Gu giving her a hug at the end of her second run.

An athlete from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) figure skating team who tested positive for a banned substance is a minor, multiple sources have told CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity.

CNN has confirmed that Kamila Valieva, 15, is the only minor on the six-member gold medal-winning ROC team.

Some context: The ROC won gold on Monday, followed by Team USA in silver, and Japan, which took bronze.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams said the medal ceremony for the event was delayed due to “legal consultation.”

It is unclear if any action will be taken, or if the athlete will be allowed to continue competing in the Games, given the age of the competitor.

It remains unclear exactly when the positive test was taken.

The prohibited drug: Russian newspaper RBC Sport reported that a sample taken in December from one of the six team members tested positive for Trimetazidine, according to a source familiar with the situation and a source in the Russian Figure Skating Federation.

Trimetazidine is a drug used to treat people with the heart condition angina. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list.

In a video message on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed her support for Valieva, while making no reference to the reported incident.

“Miracles can be simply right in front of us, and what Kamila Valieva did is a true miracle. I can explain why this is a miracle. It is a miracle because after she completed her program she won hearts of the whole world,” she said.
“This is phenomenal. We see again, in front of our eyes this clash of good and evil and the desire of evil to make the amount of good as little as possible, so that good would lose its power.
“Our people there and our people here who are involved in supporting our athletes and our teams I believe are now working in that direction.”

CNN has reached out to the IOC and ROC, and the International Testing Agency for comment but has not yet received a response. 

Why is Russia called the ROC at the Olympics? Russian athletes are unable to compete in the Olympics under their country’s name due to sanctions from the IOC and WADA for failing to cooperate with anti-doping rules in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

However, athletes who can prove that they are clean from performance enhancing drugs are able to compete under the ROC flag.

Defending Olympic champion Chloe Kim has won gold in the women’s snowboarding halfpipe, pulling far into the lead with her first run and staying there for a final score of 94.

The 21-year-old American fell in her second and third runs — but her fantastic first effort, which included two 1080s, was enough to grant her victory.

She was visibly emotional after that first run and could be heard on the TV broadcast saying: “I had the worst practice.”

At age 17, Kim burst onto the Olympic scene at Pyeongchang 2018 in the same event, becoming the youngest female Olympic gold medalist on snow. She also boasts five X Games gold medals and two world championships.

Queralt Castellet of Spain won silver on Thursday with a a best score of 90.25 and Japan’s Sena Tomita took bronze with a best score of 88.25.

After a fantastic first run in the women’s snowboard halfpipe final, Team USA’s Chloe Kim fell on her second attempt — but she has one run left, and a great shot at the gold.

She fell after attempting a 1260 — a complex move, but a risk she can afford to take given her place in the lead with a first-run score of 94. The top score of the three runs will be taken as their final result.

Kim shrugged off her fall, and went to greet China’s freeski big air gold medalist Eileen Gu, who was watching from the bottom of the halfpipe. The two champions hugged, with Kim shouting, “Love you!” as she walked off.

Gu, who was born in the United States, won gold at the big air competition on Tuesday.

Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, nicknamed the “Ice Prince,” has received more than 10,000 “love letters” from fans around the world, according to the Beijing Olympic Committee.

Games organizers posted photos on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Wednesday, showing rows of letters and packages wrapped with red ribbon.

Some 100 days before the Olympics began, the committee began a “love letter campaign,” inviting fans worldwide to send postcards and letters to the Beijing Olympic bubble. They received tens of thousands of letters, taking nearly two weeks for staff and volunteers to comb through, the committee said on Weibo.

Many of Hanyu’s fans wished him good luck in completing the quadruple axel, according to the Weibo post. Hanyu is set to attempt the fabled jump — which has never been completed in competition before — on Thursday during his free skate event.

US snowboarding star Chloe Kim just had her first of three runs at the halfpipe final — and nailed every trick to post a huge score of 94.

She performed a frontside 10 and a cab 10 — placing her solidly in the lead.

After the successful run, she shouted with joy and fell to her knees at the bottom of the half pipe, a wide grin on her face. “Oh my god,” she said, a hand over her mouth as she caught her breath.

Japanese skating legend Yuzuru Hanyu has made it his goal to attempt the fabled quadruple axel during his Beijing Olympics appearance.

The 27-year-old “Ice Prince” goes into the free skate on Thursday aiming to redeem his sub-par performance Tuesday, when he placed eighth in the short program to trail rival Nathan Chen — who led the field with a world record score.

The scores of the free skate and short program are combined to determine the medal winners.

The quadruple axel has never been completed in competition before, let alone at the Olympics.

But what exactly is the jump everyone is talking about? The quadruple axel involves four-and-a-half rotations in the air.

An axel is the most challenging of figure skating jumps “because it is the only jump in the sport in which skaters take off facing forward,” according to the Olympics website.
“It’s also the easiest for fans to spot at home: If the skater is facing forward when he or she takes off for the jump, kicking their free leg into the air to spring into it, it’s an Axel.”

Triple axels are seen in elite men’s — and increasingly women’s — programs.

Can Hanyu do it? The Japanese star will open the program with the quadruple axel — even though he hasn’t even been able to land it in practice, according to the Olympics site.

But he has also won praise for committing to such a difficult move in the face of such high stakes.

It’s Day 6 of the Beijing Winter Olympics — another jam-packed day with some big names competing for gold. Here’s what’s to watch for:

⛸️Rivals on the ice: American figure skater Nathan Chen has a clear path to victory in the men’s single skating. Chen performed superbly in the short program on Tuesday, drawing ahead of his rival, Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu, who’s down in eighth after an error in his routine. Hanyu needs something special — will he land an unprecedented quadruple axel?

🏂Chloe Kim snowboards for gold: The 21-year-old American topped qualifying and is now heading to the finals as the favorite for gold on the halfpipe. Kim fell on her second run in qualifying — but her score was still enough to carry her through.

🏒China and US face off: The hosts plays the United States in preliminary rounds of the men’s ice hockey on Thursday night in Beijing. Team USA has been weakened by the absence of all NHL players from the Games due to Covid concerns. In another twist, the hosts have the benefit of a team whose core have played together on a China-owned team in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) — including a number of foreign-born players, with many hailing from Canada and the US.

🏅More gold medals up for grabs: Today will also see final competitions for alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, luge and speed skating.

We’re six days into the Beijing Winter Games, and European nations are pulling ahead in the gold medal count.

Germany is currently leading the ranks with five golds, followed by Norway (4), Sweden (4) and the Netherlands (3).

Hosts China — not a traditional Winter Sports powerhouse — are currently in fifth place with three golds and five medals in total.

The United States ranks 10th, with just one gold medal so far.

Following a second straight race in which she crashed out of contention, American skier Mikaela Shiffrin took to social media to thank fellow Olympian and boyfriend, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.

“My hope for every human is that they find another human who finds a way to love, understand, and heal them in the way @AleksanderKilde has done and continues to for me,” Shiffrin wrote on Twitter.  

Shiffrin’s tweet came as response to an Instagram post from Kilde who offered his words of support to the American superstar.

“When you look at this picture you can make up so many statements, meanings and thoughts.” Kilde wrote. “Most of you probably look at it saying: “She has lost it, “she can’t handle the pressure” or “what happened?”… Which makes me frustrated, because all I see is a top athlete doing what a top athlete does! It’s a part of the game and it happens. The pressure we all put on individuals in the sports are enormous, so let’s give the same amount of support back.. It’s all about the balance and we are just normal human beings!! I love you Kaela”

Kilde’s gold hopes slip out of reach: Not long after Shiffrin crashed out, Kilde landed fifth place in the men’s downhill, though he won a bronze in the men’s super-G on Tuesday.

Kilde is currently the world’s No. 1 men’s downhill skier and had been favorite to take gold coming into Beijing 2022, but he admitted “some mistakes” had cost him.

For more than 50 years, athletes competing in the Olympic games have often been cheered on by either a furry, feathered or slimy friend. The Olympic mascot — a cartoonish encapsulation of the host city’s culture and history — is so important, designs are often selected and finalized years before the Games take place.

According to the International Olympic Committee, the role of these quirky caricatures is to help spread a “festive atmosphere” and embody the exuberant spirit of the event.

Over the decades, the world has welcomed snowmen, sasquatches, cowboy-hat-wearing bears and aliens to the Olympic stage.

The first mascot was created in 1968 by designer Aline Lafargue for the Grenoble Winter Games in France.

Affectionately named “Shuss,” the character consists of a two-toned head and lightning-bolt shaped leg attached to skis. Despite holding the esteemed title of first ever mascot, Lafargue created and submitted her design for Shuss in just one night.

Read more:

28 JUL 1984: SAM THE EAGLE THE MASCOT OF THE 1984 LOS ANGELES OLYMPICS MARCHES AROUND THE STADIUM DURING THE OPENING CEREMONY.

Related article Fun or frightening? A brief history of Olympic mascot design

Lindsey Jacobellis secured Team USA’s first gold medal at the Beijing Olympics with victory in the women’s snowboard cross big final on Wednesday.

After near misses at previous Games, the 36-year-old finally topped the podium at her fifth Winter Olympics.

“This feels incredible because this level that all the women are riding at is a lot higher than it was 16 years ago,” Jacobellis told reporters.
“So I felt like I was a winner just that I made it into finals, because that’s been a challenge every time.
“All these ladies out here have the potential to win and today it just worked out for me that my starts were good, that my gliding was great, and everything just worked for me today.”

Jacobellis infamously won silver in Turin at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

The American, who was 20 at the time, looked set to win gold in snowboard cross’ Olympic debut after racing into a huge lead with the finish line in sight.

But with victory seeming inevitable, Jacobellis appeared to showboat on the penultimate jump by grabbing her board.

The result was catastrophic. She fell to the ground and watched on in horror as Switzerland’s Tanja Frieden sped past to win gold and leave Jacobellis in second.

Despite the disastrous outcome in 2006, Jacobellis said after becoming an Olympic gold medalist that she doesn’t feel a sense of redemption.

“I never thought of it that way. That was not in my mind. I wanted to just come here and compete.
“It would have been a nice, sweet thing, but I think if I had tried to spend (time on) the thought of redemption, then it’s taking away focus on the task at hand, and that’s not why I race.”

Read more:

ZHANGJIAKOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 09: Gold medallist Lindsey Jacobellis of Team United States poses during the Women's Snowboard Cross flower ceremony on Day 5 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Genting Snow Park on February 09, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Related article Lindsey Jacobellis wins Team USA's first gold medal at Beijing Games with victory in women's snowboard cross

Mikaela Shiffrin sat at the side of the slope, her arms on her knees and her head bowed.

The American, who is so accustomed to success as one of the greatest to ever put on a pair of skis, has now suffered two bitter disappointments in the space of three days in Beijing.

Just two days after she crashed out of her first run in Monday’s giant slalom, Shiffrin also failed to make it past five gates in Wednesday’s slalom after skiing off line just seconds into her opening attempt.

“It’s probably a culmination of the other day and today,” she replied when asked what she thinking while sat at the side of the course. “It feels like a really big let down.
“I was trying to look back and think about the last days and what I’ve been trying to do, what I’ve been doing with my skiing that would suggest that on the fifth gate I would push myself a little bit too hard to actually be able to stay in the course.
“[But] my skiing has been really solid. My entire career has taught me to trust in my skiing if it’s good skiing, and that’s all that I have to rely on on these race days.
“And when the pressure is high — and of course the pressure is high, but that didn’t feel like the biggest issue today — and there are some nerves and the feeling that I want to do well, I always just go back to that fundamental idea that good skiing will be there for me.
“It’s not the end of the world and it’s so stupid to care this much, but I feel I have to question a lot now.”

Shiffrin had come into these Games with high hopes of making history as the first US alpine skier to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics. Those hopes are now appear to be all but over.

Read more:

Mikaela Shiffrin, of the United States sits on the side of the course after skiing out in the first run of the women's slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Related article 'A really big let down': Mikaela Shiffrin crashes out for the second time at Beijing 2022

Skaters have not yet received their medals in the figure skating team event at Beijing 2022 after one athlete on the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) tested positive for a prohibited substance, Russian newspaper RBC and CNN Sports analyst Christine Brennan reported Wednesday.

The ROC team won the gold medal, followed by the US team which took silver. Bronze went to Japan and Canada came in fourth place.

RBC Sport reports that a sample taken in December from one of the six Russian team members tested positive for trimetazidine, according to a source familiar with the situation, and a source in the Russian Figure Skating Federation.

Brennan, who is also a USA Today sports columnist, attributed the positive test to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Trimetazidine is a drug used to treat people with a heart condition known as angina. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list.

Read more here.

There were six gold medals up for grabs on Wednesday at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Here’s a breakdown of who is taking home gold for their delegations on Day 5 of the Games.

Alpine Skiing

Freestyle Skiing

Luge

Nordic Combined

Short Track Speed Skating

Snowboard