BEIJING, China — Mikaela Shiffrin will have to rebound quickly from her early disqualification in yesterday’s giant slalom event. Her next chance at a medal is the slalom, but that’s a top event for rival Petra Vlhova.
The showdown between those two Alpine skiing stars highlights Day 4 of the Beijing Games, which also includes qualifying runs for Shaun White and Chloe Kim, the start of snowboardcross coverage and the first curling medals of these Olympics.
SLALOM SHOWDOWN
Shiffrin won the slalom at the 2014 Games and is a four-time world champion in the event. Vlhova, however, has a big lead in the World Cup slalom standings this season, after Shiffrin was slowed by contracting the coronavirus.
A bad turn in the giant slalom Monday knocked the American star out of that event on the opening run. Vlhova, of Slovakia, finished 14th.
“Something was missing, and I was a bit in trouble with the conditions,” Vlhova said. “I tried to do my best, but it was not enough.”
SNOWBOARD STARS
Shiffrin’s rough start was a downer for the U.S., but now it’s time for a couple of other American standouts to begin competing. Shaun White, the three-time gold medalist who said recently the Beijing Games would be his last competition, begins qualifying for the halfpipe. So does Chloe Kim, who, like White is a defending champion in that event.
“I really want to finish my career strongly on my own terms and put down some solid runs,” White said. “If I could do that, I’ll be very happy.”
The chaotic, high-flying snowboardcross also begins with the women’s competition. Lindsey Jacobellis, who missed out on gold in 2006 when she fell after grabbing her board in premature celebration, is still chasing an Olympic title.
CURLING MEDALS ON THE LINE
The mixed doubles competition wraps up when Italy faces Norway for the gold medal.
Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini have already clinched Italy’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by reaching the final.
“That feels great,” coach Claudio Pescia said. “Not only that we have a medal, but the performance these two athletes made this week is amazing.”
LUGE STAR TRIES TO MAKE HISTORY
Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger is trying for her third consecutive gold medal in singles luge. If she’s successful, Geisenberger will become the first three-time women’s singles gold medalist in Olympic history.
3 Americans in men’s freeski big air final
A trio of Americans will face off against nine other competitors in the men’s freestyle skiing big air final. Mac Forehand, Colby Stevenson and Alex Hall hope to land on the podium for Team USA.
American races to Winter Games for chance to compete
Casey Dawson has finally made it to Beijing. The U.S. speedskater tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks ago and had struggled to get the necessary clearance to travel to Beijing. He had to produce four consecutive negative tests, and also dealt with issues over testing centers in Utah that had to be approved by the Chinese consulate.
But Dawson finally resolved those matters and was on a flight to Beijing, according to a tweet Monday from US Speedskating.
He posted on Instagram around 6 p.m. Eastern on Monday that he had arrived in Beijing and was awaiting COVID-19 test results. As long as he tests negative, he could still make the men’s 1,500-meter event, which is 5:30 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday.
If Dawson can’t get cleared in time, it could be up to American speedskater Joey Mantia to get Team USA’s first speedskating medal of the 2022 Olympics, but he’ll face a tough field of competitors in the men’s 1,500-meter event.