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Post by Admin on Feb 14, 2014 23:00:27 GMT
Yuzuru Hanyu became the first Japanese man to win an Olympic figure skating gold as he secured his country's first title of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The 19-year-old fell twice in the free skating final but prevailed thanks to a world record score in Thursday's short programme and errors from his rivals. Hanyu posted an overall score of 280.09 to beat Patrick Chan of Canada, who also stumbled in his last performance. Kazakhstan's Denis Ten, the world silver medallist, took the bronze. Hanyu became the youngest winner of the Olympic men's title since American Dick Button in 1948. "A win's a win's a win. It's going to sink in. This is history. It's a gift for my country," said Hanyu. "I'm so surprised. I can't find the words. It was such a difficult programme for me and I felt rough, physically. I'm just shocked. I'm so proud of this feat as a Japanese."
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Post by Admin on Feb 15, 2014 4:59:42 GMT
American Jeremy Abbott hit out at his critics Friday night following his free skate at the Olympics, the 28-year-old offering a harsh response to those who say he can't handle the pressure internationally. "I just want to put my middle finger in the air and say a big 'F-you' to everyone who has ever said that to me because they've never stood in my shoes," Abbott told reporters. "They've never had to do what I've had to do." Abbott, a four-time U.S. national champion, fell hard in his short program Thursday night at the Olympics, finishing 15th in that segment and ending up 12th overall. He was ninth four years ago in Vancouver, and - despite being a multi-Nationals winner - doesn't own a World Championships medal. "Nobody has to stand center ice in front of a million people and put an entire career on the line for eight minutes of their life when they've been doing it for 20-some years," Abbott continued. "And if you think that that's not hard, then you're a damn idiot." "So some people can handle it better than others, but everyone has that mental struggle and everyone goes through the same doubts and the same things," Abbott said. "Some people have their moment at the Olympics and some people have theirs at the national championships." Abbott was widely criticized for a low score in the newly-created figure skating team event last week, then had a poor short program again in the individual event, slamming against the boards at the Iceberg Skating Palace on a quadruple jump fall, lying on the ice for several seconds before continuing.
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Post by Admin on Feb 15, 2014 22:49:48 GMT
In a powerful symbol of international sports detente, Russian President Vladimir Putin dropped in on US Olympic headquarters on Friday to chat about the Winter Games and the upcoming Russia-US hockey showdown In a powerful symbol of international sports detente, Russian President Vladimir Putin dropped in on U.S. Olympic headquarters Friday to chat about the Winter Games and the upcoming Russia-U.S. hockey showdown. He even wore a red "Happy Valentine's Day from Team USA" pin on his lapel. Putin spent about half an hour at USA House in Sochi's Olympic Park, sitting on a couch talking with U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Larry Probst and CEO Scott Blackmun. From there, he made a stop at Canada House next door. "Putin was very gracious," Blackmun told The Associated Press. "What I would remember is it sends a strong message about the importance of sport to Russia."
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Post by Admin on Feb 16, 2014 7:54:44 GMT
T.J. Oshie beats Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovski to score the game-winning goal for the U.S. in the eighth shootout period. (Clive Mason / Getty Images / February 15, 2014) In a rare instance of a game exceeding its advance billing, Team USA and Team Russia battled hard and evenly through 65 deliciously tense minutes before T.J. Oshie scored the deciding shootout tally in the eighth round of the tiebreaking procedure to give the U.S. a 3-2 victory at the Bolshoy Ice Dome. The U.S. had taken a 2-1 lead at 9:27 of the third period on a power-play goal by Joe Pavelski, set up on a perfect cross-ice pass from Patrick Kane, but Pavel Datsyuk brought Russia even with his second goal of the game. Using Alexander Radulov as a screen, he rifled a nasty wrist shot past Quick at 12:44, with Kings winger Dustin Brown in the penalty box serving for a penalty he had taken in the offensive zone. An apparent goal by Russia defenseman Fyodor Tyutin at 15:20 of the third period was waved off because the net had come off its moorings well before the puck went into it.
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Post by Admin on Feb 17, 2014 0:18:22 GMT
Meryl Davis and Charlie White are in first place with a world record score after the short program. The competition concludes on Monday. Davis and White put themselves in good position to become the first Americans to win the Olympic title in ice dance, handily winning the short dance Sunday night. Just as they've done at every major competition the last two years, the Americans beat rivals and reigning Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.
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