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The main facts of the day Saturday in Beijing…
BIATHLON > Johannes Boe–Quentin Fillon Maillet elbow-to-elbow
The French TGV (or rather the tricolor QFM) from Zhangjiakou respected its schedule, but it was preceded by the Norwegian train! Quentin Fillon Maillet won his third medal, in three events during these Games, with silver in the sprint, posing more than ever as a worthy successor to Martin Fourcade. After the silver in the mixed relay and the title in the individual, Fillon Maillet (29) offered himself a new silver medal, behind… Johannes Boe, himself crowned in the mixed relay and silver on the individual. The Norwegian was faster over the 10 km sprint because, if the two ogres from Zhangjiakou each made a shooting error, Fillon Maillet was never able to worry Boe on skis. The Frenchman was 25 seconds behind the youngest of the Boe brothers, who celebrated his gold medal alongside his eldest, Tarjei, bronze medalist.
On the Belgian side, it was disillusionment! The best, Thierry Langer, only finished 67th, which implies that no Belgian will be at the start of the pursuit, reserved for the first sixty in the sprint. Florent Claude still made too many shooting mistakes, missing four balls, one lying, then three standing, and had to settle for 84th place, at 3:34.7. Tom Lahaye-Goffart, 25, was 91st and César Beauvais, 21, 94th.
SKI JUMPING > The magnificent flight of Norwegian Marius Lindvik
The Norwegian Marius Lindvik won the first Olympic title of his career on a large hill, ahead of the Japanese Kobayashi and the German Geiger. The 23-year-old Lindvik was awarded a score of 144.8 on his first jump, then an impressive 151.3 in the final round of the top thirty. With a total of 296.1, the Norwegian thus deprived the Olympic champion on small hill, Ryoyu Kobayashi, of a historic double. This is Norway’s eighth Olympic title on a large hill, but only the first since Toralf Engan in 1964 in Innsbruck. Surprised, Kobayashi totaled 292.8 (147.0 + 145.8). Geiger took bronze with 281.3 (136.7 + 144.6).
ICE HOCKEY > Without their stars, the United States beats Canada
The United States, orphans of NHL stars, won the North American clash against Canada in the group stage of the Olympic tournament by 4-2. The Canadians however opened the scoring via Mat Robinson. The young American team equalized in stride thanks to Andy Miele. The end of the first three-thirds period saw the Americans take the lead thanks to a goal from Ben Meyers. The USA then took a two-step lead through 20-year-old Brendan Robinson, but Canada, taking advantage of a temporary numerical superiority, closed the gap through Corban Knight. The Americans, who have not won the men’s Olympic title since 1980, sealed the match in the 47th minute when Kenny Agostino scored 4-2. This second victory allows the United States to take a serious option on the first place of group A.
SNOWBOARD > Lindsey Jacobellis offered a double
Three days after her individual Olympic title, Lindsey Jacobellis offered herself a second gold medal thanks to the mixed event, associated with veteran Nick Baumgartner (40 years old). In the final, the American struggled with the Italian Moioli, taking the lead in the penultimate corner and maintaining a few centimeters lead on the finish line. The bronze medal went to Canadians Grondin and Odine, respectively in silver and bronze individually. The title for Jacobellis and Baumgartner comes as former snowboarder Callan Chythlook-Sifsof has accused current USA team coach Peter Foley of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. The snowboarder, who will turn 33 in two days, also implicated a snowboarder present in China, Hagen Kearney, whom she accuses of having used a racist expression.
FIGURE SKATING > Kamila Valieva will be fixed on her fate on Monday
Seized by the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will deliver its verdict on Monday afternoon in the case of Kamila Valieva, a Russian skater who tested positive, in December, before being crowned by teams in Beijing. This decision will therefore take place just before the start of the individual competition, in which the Belgian Loena Hendrickx will participate. The IOC and WADA have appealed the lifting of the suspension for Kamila Valieva. The hearing will be held on Sunday (8:30 p.m.) in China, or Monday (3:30 a.m.) in Belgium. Valieva was handed a provisional suspension by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday, but she challenged the suspension, which was lifted the following day. Expected star of the Games, 15-year-old Kamila Valieva helped Russia win team gold, before the announcement of a positive control for trimetazidine, a banned substance, fell on December 25, in Saint- Petersburg.
