The Olympics could not have taken a worse turn for skater Joannie Rochette, as her mother died of a massive heart attack. Canada’s golden girl has remained strong through this ordeal and has decided to still compete in the ladies’ short program on Tuesday night.
The Canada V. U.S. hockey game ended in dismay for the Canadians as they lost 5-3 and will now endure a tougher road to get into the gold medal match.
On a positive note, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir head into the final dance in first place after an amazing performance in the original program in ice dance.
Cheryl Bernard and Team Canada continue their unbeaten streak in curling as they defeated the Americans.
Hockey
A much-anticipated game between rivals Canada and the U.S lived up to its hype as the U.S pulled the upset with the 5-3 victory Sunday night.
Ryan Miller, the U.S. goaltender, was the man of the match as he had 42 saves; while Ryan Kesler scored a one-handed empty netter in the final minute to secure the win for the Americans.
The Russians dominated a rematch of the 1998 gold-medal game between Russia and the Czech Republic as Evegni Malkin scored twice and Alexander Ovechkin had two assists.
Russian won 4-2 and now claim first place in their group.
Joannie Rochette
Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette received disheartening news that her mother, Therese Rochette, had died of a heart attack.
Filled with grief, the courageous Rochette was back on the ice a few hours later practicing for her event on Tuesday.
“Joannie is doing well as one can expect. It has been an emotional roller coaster for her,” Skate Canada CEO William Thompson said at a press conference. “She made the decision that she wants to compete and maintain her training schedule. It is providing her with stability in a very uncertain time of her life.”
The six-time national champion is expected to lace up for the women’s short program on Tuesday night.
Ice Dancing
Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir climbed into first place after their powerful flamenco performance in the original dance on Sunday.
Right behind them in second, are their training partner’s American duo Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
Reigning World Champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin of Russia fell from first to third place after performing their controversial aboriginal dance.
Curling
There was at least one happy ending in a Canada/U.S battle on Sunday as Cheryl Bernard and Team Canada routed the Americans 9-2.
Canada now improves to 5-0 in round-robin action and remains in first place.
Speed Skating
Irene Wust of the Netherlands won the gold medal in the 1500m, making it the first time in 46 years that country has claimed gold in the event.
Canadian Kristina Groves won the silver, her second medal of the Games, while London, Ont., native Christine Nesbitt, finished a disappointed sixth.
Cindy Klassen placed 21st in the event and Winnipeg’s Brittany Schussler, ranked fifth in the world, finished a dissatisfying 35th.
Super-Combined
American Bode Miller won the first gold medal of his Olympics career, as he fought back from seventh after the downhill to capture the win.
Montreal native Ryan Semple led the Canadian team in the event placing 15th overall with a time of 2:52.13.
Michael Janyk of North Vancouver placed 26th, Quebec native Louis-Pierre Helie placed 30th while first year Olympian Tyler Nella of Toronto came in 32nd.
Ski Cross
Top-ranked World Cup rider Michael Schmid of Switzerland became the first-ever Olympic gold medalist in ski cross.
Canada’s Chris Del Balco, winner of the Winter X Games last month, unfortunately just missed the podium as he finished in fourth.
Substitute and Whistler native Davey Barr surprised all as he found himself racing in the finals and placed sixth.
Unfortunately, Canadian Stanley Hayer lost his heat and didn’t make it past the quarterfinals.
Biathlon
Magdalena Neuner of Germany won the gold medal in the women’s 12.5k mass start, to earn her third medal and second gold of the Olympics.
In the men’s 15k mass start, World Cup leader Evgeny Ustygov of Russia had a flawless race and took the gold at Whistler Olympic Park.
Quebec native, Jean Philippe Leguellec represented for Canada and placed 30th.
Bobsleigh
German driver Andre Lange picked up his fourth gold medal in the Games, the most by any driver since the event debuted in 1932 in Lake Placid.
Germany’s Thomas Florschuetz won the silver, and Russia’s Alexsandr Zubkov won the bronze.