7 to Watch: Shiffrin, Skating and the Fastest Color

Team USA earned its first gold medal in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games on Saturday and there are more opportunities for our athletes to reach the medal stand. Here are 7 things you need to watch for Sunday, Feb. 11. 1. Shiffrin Makes Her Pyeongchang Debut in Giant Slalom WH Response to Abuse Claims Shines Light on Victims’ Fears Mikaela Shiffrin became a breakout American star at the Sochi Olympics, where she became the youngest-ever Olympic slalom champion at age 18. She’s looking to add a lot more hardware this time – and her quest begins today. Now 22, Shiffrin has committed to skiing both the giant slalom and the slalom In Pyeongchang, and she might add the other three individual women’s races. Last year, Shiffrin became the first woman to win three consecutive slalom world titles in 78 years. Trump Won’t Declassify ‘Very Political’ Democratic Memo Up first for Shiffrin: The giant slalom. She’ll look to better her fifth-place finish in the event from the 2014 Olympics. She won a silver medal in the giant slalom in the 2017 World Championships.Among Shiffrin’s rivals: Tessa Worley of France and Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany. Another contender, Switzerland’s Melanie Meillard, is out after crashing during training and tearing a ligament in her knee. ‘The President Saved My Life’: Cancer Survivor Meets Trump Lindsey Vonn, another standout American skier, will not compete in the giant slalom.Watch live during NBC 7’s primetime coverage beginning at 5 p.m. PT or on digital platforms:Watch Run 1 at 5:15 p.m. PT at this link.Watch Run 2 at 8:45 p.m. PT at this link. 2. Adam Rippon Hopes to Lead Team USA to Team GoldAmerica’s hopes for a gold medal in the figure skating team event took a hit when one of its stars, Nathan Chen, fell during his Olympic debut on Friday. If Team USA hopes to finish atop the podium, it will need a strong performance from one of its other stars, Adam Rippon.Rippon will represent the U.S. in the men’s free skate, one of three events to be held Monday to complete the Team Event. The women’s free skate and the ice dance free dance are the other two.Three more events will be held on Sunday: the ice dance short dance, the women’s short program and the pairs free skating.Medals will be awarded after the ice dance free dance. The U.S., Canada and the Olympic Athletes from Russia were expected to compete for the gold. Watch live as part of NBC 7’s primetime coverage beginning at 5 p.m. PT or on digital platforms at this link.3.  Team USA Earns Medal in Men’s LugeMassachusetts’ Chris Mazdzer put together two phenomenal runs to climb from fourth to third in runs 3 and 4 to win the silver medal in men’s singles luge — the first men’s singles luge medal in U.S. history. He ended a 54-year drought for Team USA.Mazdzer, who describes himself as a goofball who knows how to flip the switch to serious when he needs, beamed after crossing the finish line. The highest an American had finished in men’s luge singles before today was fourth.”It’s 16 years in the making,” Mazdzer told NBC’s Lewis Johnson after winning silver. “I’ve had a rough last two years, and it just shows: Don’t ever give up. Whenever you lose, keep fighting. “Watch the event replay here.4. USA’s Bergsma Shoots for Gold in 1500-Meter Speed SkatingHeather Bergsma entered the 1500-meter speed skating race in the Sochi Olympics as a medal favorite — but she struggled, finishing seventh. In the four years since, the American speed skater has done much to put those struggles behind her – including setting the world record in November 2015.She still holds that record. On Monday, she’ll get a chance at Olympic redemption in Pyeongchang.She’ll have stiff competition – Japan’s Miho Takagi and the Netherland’s Ireen Wust are other top contenders. Bergsma beat Wust and Takagi at the 2017 World Championships. Wust already won a silver medal in Pyeongchang, in the 3000-meter race.Watch live on digital platforms on Monday at 4:30 a.m. PT at this linkAlso watch the race as part of NBC 7’s primetime coverage Monday night at 5 p.m. PT. 5. Hendrickson Broke Barriers by JumpingUntil 2014, ski jumping was a men’s-only event. Nordic combined still is.You name it, the women heard it. Excuse after excuse until 2008. That’s when now-retired U.S. ski jumper Lindsey Van and a group of women from five countries — including Hendrickson — sued the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the right to compete in the 2010 Olympics. The lawsuit failed but public outcry forced the IOC’s hand and women were awarded one ski jumping event.U.S. ski jumper Sarah Hendrickson made history in Sochi, becoming the first woman to ski jump in the Olympics. On Sunday, she competed in the  individual normal hill. Finals in the event get underway Monday at 4:50 a.m. PT. Watch the event at this link.6. Fastest Color?The Norwegian speed skating team abandoned their traditional red suits for blue ones this Olympics after a report by Norwegian scientists that blue is the fastest color.While Norwegian speed skater Sindre Henriksen had his doubts about the claim, Norway’s early results show evidence that there may be some truth to the science. On Day 3 of the Games, Norway’s Sverre Lunde Pedersen won the bronze medal in the men’s 5000m. The medal is only Norway’s second in speed skating since 2006. If the Norwegians continue to land on the podium we may see more speed skaters dressed in blue come 2022.7. And the Gold Goes to…Here’s a quick run-down of all the medal events:Women’s Alpine Skiing, Giant Slalom Run: Watch live as part of NBC’s the Olympic coverage beginning Sunday at 4 p.m. PT or on digital platforms Sunday at 8:45 p.m. PT at this link.Biathlon, Women’s 10k: Watch live on NBC Sports on Monday at 2:10 a.m. PT or on digital platforms at this linkBiathlon, Men’s 12.5 km: Watch live on digital platforms Monday at 4 a.m. PT at this link or catch it on NBC Sports’ broadcast at 9:15 a.m. PT.Men’s Freestyle Skiing, Moguls: Watch live on digital platforms Monday at 4 a.m. PT at this link or catch it on NBC’s broadcast coverage starting at 3 p.m. ET.Photo Credit: Getty Images This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Source: NBC San Diego