As the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics took place last night, the men’s alpine ski downhill kicks off the action this Saturday, the first day of the Games. Also in the spotlight: American figure skating star Ilia Malinin, as well as Jessie Diggins, the most decorated U.S. cross-country skier.
Men’s Downhill: An Open Race
Swiss athletes Marco Odermatt and world champion Franjo von Allmen are among the favorites, but the list of podium contenders at the Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio is long.
The Italian crowd will support Dominik Paris, who is competing in his fifth Games and still seeking his first Olympic medal. The 36-year-old Italian is a Bormio specialist, having won a record six World Cup downhill races there. The young Italian Giovanni Franzoni is also one to watch.
American skier Ryan Cochran-Siegle was the fastest during Wednesday’s first downhill training session. This is his third Winter Games. He won silver in the super-G in Beijing four years ago.
The event is expected to start at 11:30 a.m. local time, weather permitting.
Ilia Malinin in Figure Skating: Team Event
The reigning two-time world champion, Ilia Malinin, a strong favorite for Olympic gold in figure skating, performs his short program as part of the team event. The United States, defending champions, lead ahead of Japan and Italy before day two of the three-day competition. The event is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. local time in Milan.
In free dance, the American team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates is expected to return to the ice. The three-time world champions won the rhythm dance portion of the team competition on Friday.
Jessie Diggins Competing in Her 4th Games
Diggins, 34, from Minnesota, is aiming to add to her Olympic record before retiring at the end of the season. She already holds a gold, silver, and bronze medal from three previous Games. She will compete on Saturday in the 20 km skiathlon, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. local time. Cross-country skiing events take place in the Fiemme Valley, in the heart of the Dolomites. Medals may be awarded before those in the men’s downhill.
Other Medal Events
Medals will also be awarded in ski jumping (women’s individual normal hill), snowboarding (men’s big air), and speed skating (women’s 3,000 m).
Women’s Hockey: United States vs. Finland
Women’s hockey is among the disciplines that have already started preliminary rounds. The U.S. team began their campaign with a 5-1 victory over the Czech Republic on Thursday.
Next match for the Americans: Finland, scheduled for 4:40 p.m. local time in Milan. Finnish officials have expressed optimism about the match on Saturday. A norovirus outbreak had reduced Finland’s roster and caused the postponement of their first game.
Other matches scheduled for Saturday: Switzerland-Canada, Sweden-Italy, and Germany-Japan.
