On day 4 Norway extended their lead on the points table mostly via cross country skiing successes.
Canada overtook Russia to move into 2nd place whilst a quieter day for the Dutch at speed skating ensured that the USA move into 4th place.
Belarus is the latest country to appear on the list.

The scoring table is as follows;
1st 8 points
2nd 7
3rd 6
4th 5
5th 4
6th 3
7th 2
8th 1
If countries are level on points their single best result is the tiebreak.

[table]
Rank, Nation,Points,Tie breaker
1, NOR, 115,
2, CAN, 90,
3, RUS, 83,
4, USA, 70,
5, NED, 68,
6, GER, 64,
7, AUT, 48,
8, SWE, 45,
9, JPN, 43,
10, ITA, 39,
11, FRA, 35,
12, SUI, 34,
13, CZE, 30,
14, SLO, 28,
15, CHN, 25,
16, KOR, 16,
17, POL, 15, 1st
18, FIN, 15, 2nd
19, GBR, 13, 3rd
20, AUS, 13, 4th
21, SVK, 11,
22, UKR, 10,
23, BLR, 8, 1st
23, KAZ, 8, 5th
25, BEL, 5,
[/table]

Canada has already had 3 events in Sochi in which they have put 2 of their athletes on the podium. We were asked if that is a record for Canada and it is – equalling 2006, when they also did it in 3 events – of course, that was for the entire Winter Olympics.

So we were wondering, how often has it happened that nations have put 2 or more athletes on a podium at a Winter Olympics? Turns out it has happened quite often – 404 times to be exact. So which nations have done it the most at a single Winter Olympics. Here’s the full list, led by the Soviet Union with 9 double+ podiums in 1988.

 

[table]

NOC,Year,###

Soviet Union,1988,9

German Democratic Republic,1988,8

Soviet Union,1964,8

Soviet Union,1976,8

United States,2010,8

Unified Team,1992,7

German Democratic Republic,1984,7

United States,2002,7

Austria,1992,6

Germany,1992,6

Germany,1998,6

Norway,1924,6

Norway,1928,6

Norway,1994,6

Soviet Union,1980,6

Austria,2006,5

German Democratic Republic,1976,5

Germany,2002,5

Germany,2010,5

Norway,1952,5

Norway,1992,5

Russia,1994,5

Russia,1998,5

Soviet Union,1960,5

Soviet Union,1984,5

Austria,1998,4

German Democratic Republic,1972,4

German Democratic Republic,1980,4

Netherlands,1968,4

Netherlands,1998,4

Norway,1936,4

Norway,1948,4

Norway,1964,4

Norway,2006,4

Soviet Union,1956,4

United States,2006,4

Austria,1956,3

Austria,1964,3

Austria,1968,3

Austria,2002,3

Canada,2006,3

China,2006,3

Finland,1924,3

Finland,1952,3

Finland,1984,3

Great Britain,1908,3

Germany,1994,3

Germany,2006,3

Korea (South),2006,3

Netherlands,1972,3

Norway,1972,3

Norway,1998,3

Switzerland,1988,3

Soviet Union,1968,3

Soviet Union,1972,3

United States,1932,3

[/table]

 

In an earlier post we noted that there have been 39 medal sweeps by NOCs at the Winter Olympics. Its actually now 41, since the Netherlands swept men’s speed skating 500 and 5,000 metres in Sochi. Have any nations had 2, or more, medals sweeps at a single Winter Olympics? Turns out 2 is the record, done now 8 times, including the Netherlands in 2014.

 

[table]

NOC,Year

German Democratic Republic,1972

German Democratic Republic,1984

Germany,1998

Netherlands,2014

Norway,1924

Norway,1928

Norway,1932

Soviet Union,1964

[/table]

 

Some have speculated that USA women could win 4 or 5 medals today in Sochi and wondered if that is a record. It would be. USA women have never won more than 3 medals on a single day at the Winter Olympics. Below is the list.

 

USA – Women Only

[table]

Year,Date,Day#,Weekday,G,S,B,TM

1960,23 February,6,Tuesday,1,1,1,3

1968,9 February,4,Friday,0,3,0,3

2002,20 February,13,Wednesday,1,1,1,3

2002,21 February,14,Thursday,1,1,1,3

2010,18 February,7,Thursday,0,2,1,3

[/table]

 

And in case you’re wondering, here is the list of most medals won in a single day for the USA – men and women.

 

USA – Men and Women

[table]

Year,Date,Day#,Weekday,G,S,B,TM

2010,17 February,6,Wednesday,3,1,2,6

2002,20 February,13,Wednesday,3,1,1,5

1928,17 February,7,Friday,2,2,0,4

2002,21 February,14,Thursday,1,2,1,4

2010,18 February,7,Thursday,1,2,1,4

2010,25 February,14,Thursday,1,3,0,4

2010,13 February,2,Saturday,1,1,2,4

2006,13 February,4,Monday,2,1,0,3

2002,11 February,4,Monday,1,1,1,3

2002,19 February,12,Tuesday,2,1,0,3

2002,12 February,5,Tuesday,1,1,1,3

1960,23 February,6,Tuesday,1,1,1,3

2006,21 February,12,Tuesday,0,2,1,3

1956,1 February,7,Wednesday,1,1,1,3

1932,4 February,1,Thursday,2,1,0,3

2006,24 February,15,Friday,1,1,1,3

1968,9 February,4,Friday,0,3,0,3

2002,15 February,8,Friday,0,1,2,3

2006,18 February,9,Saturday,1,1,1,3

1948,31 January,1,Saturday,0,2,1,3

2010,20 February,9,Saturday,0,1,2,3

2002,23 February,16,Saturday,0,1,2,3

[/table]

Yesterday at the Olympics

The big news was Julia Mancuso winning her 4^th Alpine skiing medal with a bronze medal in the women’s combined, after leading thru the downhill phase of the event. Mancuso set the following Olympic statistical bests in winning this 4^th medal:

• Mancuso became the 5^th USA female to win 4 Winter Olympic medals (Cathy Turner, Dianne Holum, Angelo Ruggiero, Jenny Schmidgall-Potter) – trailonly only Bonnie Blair with 6
• Her 4 Olympic medals is the best ever by USA woman in Alpine skiing – next best is 2
• Mancuso trails only Bode Miller’s 5 among USA men/women in Alpine skiing
• She moves her to =5^th all-time Alpine skiing for women for most medals
• She moves her to =9^th all-time Alpine skiing for men/women for most medals
• Mancuso becomes the  4^th female to win a full set of medals (G/S/B) in Alpine skiing
• She becomes the 12^th man/woman to win a full set of medals (G/S/B) in Alpine skiing
• She is the 9^th USA woman to win a full set of medals (G/S/B) in the WOG
• She is the 13^th USA men/women to win a full set of medals (G/S/B) in the WOG

USA Today at the Olympics

• Curling – Women – vs. Russia – record vs. them is 2-1, defeated them 6-4 in 2010 in most recent match; vs. Great Britain – record vs. them is 2-2, defeated them 6-5 in 2010 in most recent match
• Curling – Men – vs. China – record vs. them is 0-1 – lost to them 11-5 in 2010
• Snowboarding – Men’s Halfpipe – Shaun White going for 3^rd consecutive gold medal – if he wins, becomes only 4^th Winter Olympian, and 2^nd American, to win same individual event 3 consecutive times: Sonja Henie – 1928-36 women’s FSK singles; Bonnie Blair – 1988-94 women’s SSK 500 m; Claudia Pechstein – 1994-98 women’s SSK 5,000 m. USA has won 8 of the 12 medals awarded in this event – twice as much as all other countries combined. USA has won 3 of the 4 gold medals (White – 2006/10, Ross Powers – 2002), other was Gian Simmen (SUI) in 1998. See much more below on Shaun White.
• Speed Skating – Women’s 500 – USA has won equal most medals all-time in this event – 10, along with the former Soviet Union, who will likely not be improving their record any time soon. USA has won 5 of 14 golds in this event – no other nation with more than 2. USA golds by Anne Henning (1972), Sheila Young (1976), Bonnie Blair (1988-94). Blair one of only 3 Winter Olympians to win same individual event 3 consecutive times (see above under Shaun White). However, we are in a medal slump in the event since we have not had one since Blair in 1994 – however, the Soviet Union’s slump is predicted to last longer.
• Cross-country Skiing – Men’s Sprint – event only held since 2002 – our best finish is 16^th by Andy Newell in 2006. Best finish in 2010 29^th by Simi Hamilton
• Cross-country Skiing – Women’s Sprint – event only held since 2002 – our best finish is 8^th by Kikkan Randall in 2010. She was also 9^th in 2006. She won a silver in the event at the 2009 World Championships. She won 5 World Cup events last year. She is far better in freestyle sprint than classical sprint, and the Sochi women’s sprint is being held in freestyle. See more below on Erin Hamlin.
• Luge – Women’s Singles – USA has never won a medal – our best finish 4^th by Courtney Zablocki in 2006. See more below on Erin Hamlin, who is in 3^rd place after 2 runs. Here are all our top 8 finishes:

2006     Courtney Zablocki                                4

1992     Cammy Myler                                          5

2002     Becky Wilczak                                         5

1988     Bonny Warner                                         6

1998     Erin Warren                                              6

1998     Cammy Myler                                          7

1998     Bethany Calcaterra-McMahon      8

2002     Ashley Hayden                                         8

• Ski Jumping – Women’s Normal Hill – new event so little history. World Championships held for women since 2009. USA has won 2 of those – 2009 Lindsay Van and 2013 Sarah Hendrickson. Van and Hendrickson both on US team, but Hendrickson coming back from ACL reconstruction last spring. Has not jumped competitively since then, however, it is enough time to recover but not certain what level she will be at competitively (the orthopaedist in me).

Shaun White Facts – Just in Case

If Shaun White wins the snowboarding men’s halfpipe …

• He wins his 3^rd consecutive gold medal in the event, only done at the Winter Olympics previously by Sonja Henie (women’s figure skating 1928-36), Bonnie Blair (women’s speed skating 500 metres 1988-94), and Claudia Pechstein (women’s speed skating 5,000 metres 1994-2002). All were in individual events.
• Nine athletes have won the same event 4 or more times at the Summer Olympics, but in individual events, only Al Oerter (athletics discus throw 1956-68) and Carl Lewis (athletics long jump 1984-96) have done so (using very strict criteria). 48 athletes have won the same event 3 times at the Summer Olympics, so White would be tied for 10^th overall in all events, and tied for 3^rd overall in individual events.
• Among US athletes, only Bonnie Blair has won 3 consecutive gold medals in the same event at the WOG, and it was in an individual event. As noted above, at the SOG, Oerter and Lewis have won the same individual event 4 times consecutively. US athletes have won 3 consecutive golds in the same event 15 times at the SOG, with Michael Phelps doing it 4 times in London. Of these 6 occurred in individual events, twice by Phelps in London (100 fly, 200 IM).
• At the WOG, two athletes have won gold medals at 5 consecutive Games – Claudia Pechstein (GER-SSK) and Georg Hackl (GER-LUG). Seven athletes have won gold medals at 4 consecutive WOG, but only 2 men – Aleksandr Tikhonov (URS-BIA) and Gillis Grafström (SWE-FSK) (counting his win in 1920). 14 men and 12 women have gold medals at 3 consecutive WOG.
• White would also become only the 2^nd American to win gold medals at 3 consecutive WOG, joining Bonne Blair, as noted above.
• White would become the first snowboarder to win 3 gold medals at the Winter Olympics. He is currently tied with 2 gold medals with Seth Wescott (USA) and Philipp Schoch (SUI).
• If he wins any medal, White would also become the first snowboarder to win 3 medals at the Winter Olympics. He is currently tied with 2 medals with 7 other athletes, 4 men and 3 women. Of this group, 6 Americans (of the 8) have won 2 medals in Olympic snowboarding – White, Wescott, Hannah Teter, Ross Powers, Kelly Clark, and Danny Kass.
• If he wins gold, he becomes the 4^th oldest gold medalist in snowboarding at the WOG, and the 3^rd oldest USA gold medalist – trailing Seth Wescott x2.
• If he wins any medal, White becomes the oldest male medalist in men’s snowboarding halfpipe. He will be 27-161 tomorrow. The current oldest is Finland’s Markku Koski at 24-120 in 2006. White would also be the oldest gold medalist, if he wins, obviously, surpassing his own record when he was 23-167 in 2010.

Erin Hamlin Facts – Just in Case

Erin Hamlin is 3rd after the first 2 runs of the women’s singles luge. If Hamlin wins a medal in women’s singles luge …

• She becomes the 1^st American woman to win a medal in luge
• She becomes the 6^th American to win a medal in luge, after 5 men, as follows: Mark Grimmette –  1998 doubles bronze; 2002 doubles silver. Clay Ives – 2002 doubles bronze. Brian Martin – 1998 doubles bronze; 2002 doubles silver. Gordy Sheer – 1998 doubles silver. Chris Thorpe – 1998 doubles silver; 2002 doubles.
• She becomes the 1^st American to win a medal in singles luge.
• All of the above hold true for North America – no Canadian has ever medalled in luge.
• She would become the 5^th oldest female Olympic medalist in luge.

Kikkan Randall Facts – Just in Case

If Kikkan Randall wins a medal in CCS women’s sprint …

• She becomes the 1^st American woman to win a medal in cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics.
• She becomes the 2^nd American to win a medal in cross-country skiing, after Bill Koch, who won a silver medal in the 30 km in 1976.
• She becomes the 7th American to win a medal in a Nordic skiing event, also including Anders Haugen, who won a bronze medal in ski jumping in 1924, sorta, and the 4 medals in 2010 combined. Haugen famously did not win his medal until 1974. The bronze was originally given to Norwegian Thorleif Haug. In 1974, Norwegian sports historian Jakob Vaage was looking at the original results and realized there had been a statistical error, and the bronze medal should have gone to Anders Haugen, who had been born in Norway. Haugen was given the bronze medal at a ceremony in Oslo by Thorleif Haug’s daughter.
• She becomes the 4^th North American woman to win a medal in cross-country skiing, after Beckie Scott, Sara Renner, and Chandra Crawford, all Canadians who won their medals from 2002-06.

If Kikkan Randal wins gold in the women’s sprint …

• She becomes the 1^st American to win a gold medal in cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics.
• She becomes the 3^rd North American (and NA woman) to win a gold medal in cross-country skiing, after Beckie Scott and Chandra Crawford, as above.

This Day at the Olympics

355 Olympians were born

57 Olympians died

79 Olympic events were held

USA Births and Death on this Day at the Olympics

Born

[table]

Date,Name,Sport,Years

11 Feb 1871,Frederic Coudert,IOC,1937-48

11 Feb 1900,Tommy Hitchcock,POL,1924

11 Feb 1913,Don Fraser,CUR,1932

11 Feb 1919,Gretchen Fraser,ASK,1948

11 Feb 1931,Zoe Ann Olsen-Jensen,DIV,1948-52

11 Feb 1940,Cal Fowler,BAS,1968

11 Feb 1943,George Woods,ATH,1968-76

11 Feb 1945,Ken Walsh,SWI,1968

11 Feb 1948,Madeline Manning-Jackson,ATH,1968-76

11 Feb 1953,Andy Mill,ASK,1976-80

11 Feb 1961,Mary Docter,SSK,1980-92

11 Feb 1965,Mary O’Neill,FEN,1988-92

11 Feb 1965,John Tillman,ATH,1992

11 Feb 1970,Jason Scott,ROW,1996

11 Feb 1973,Shana Sundstrom,STK,1994

11 Feb 1974,Mike Peplinski,CUR,1998

11 Feb 1988,Doris Willette,FEN,2012

[/table]

Died

[table]

Date,Name,Sport,Years

11 Feb 1962,Chuck Mellor,ATH,1920-24

11 Feb 1963,Karl Frederick,SHO,1920

11 Feb 1965,Peder Falstad,SKJ,1932

11 Feb 1983,Beatrice Fenton,ART,1932

[/table]

Previous USA Winter Olympic Medalists on This Day

[table]

Medalist,Sport,X,Event,Medal,Date

Leo Freisinger,SSK,M,500 m,Bronze,11 Feb 1936

Dianne Holum,SSK,F,1000 m,Bronze,11 Feb 1968

Barbara Cochran,ASK,F,Slalom,Gold,11 Feb 1972

Anne Henning,SSK,F,1000 m,Bronze,11 Feb 1972

Picabo Street,ASK,F,Super G,Gold,11 Feb 1998

Jonny Moseley,FRS,M,Moguls,Gold,11 Feb 1998

Ross Powers,SNB,M,Halfpipe,Gold,11 Feb 2002

Danny Kass,SNB,M,Halfpipe,Silver,11 Feb 2002

JJ Thomas,SNB,M,Halfpipe,Bronze,11 Feb 2002

Chad Hedrick,SSK,M,5000 m,Gold,11 Feb 2006

[/table]

 

Events Finishing Today

• Biathlon Women’s Pursuit
• Cross-Country Skiing Men’s Sprint
• Cross-Country Skiing Women’s Sprint
• Freestyle Skiing Women’s Slopestyle
• Luge Women’s Singles
• Ski Jumping Women’s Normal Hill
• Snowboarding Men’s Halfpipe
• Speed Skating Women’s 500 metres

 

Medal Standings after Day #4

[table]

Day #4 – 10 Feb 2014,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total,Rank (US)

Canada,3,3,1,7,1

Netherlands,3,2,2,7,2

Norway,2,1,4,7,3

Russia,1,2,3,6,4

United States,2,-,3,5,5

Austria,1,2,-,3,6

Czech Republic,-,2,1,3,7

Germany,2,-,-,2,8

France,1,-,1,2,9

Sweden,-,2,-,2,10

Italy,-,1,1,2,11

Poland,1,-,-,1,=12

Slovakia,1,-,-,1,=12

Switzerland,1,-,-,1,=12

China,-,1,-,1,=15

Finland,-,1,-,1,=15

Slovenia,-,1,-,1,=15

Great Britain,-,-,1,1,=18

Ukraine,-,-,1,1,=18

Total (18 events),18,18,18,54

[/table]

Of note, this is the first time Canada has ever led the NOC medal list on any day at the Olympics – Summer or Winter.

[table]

Day #4 – 15 Feb 2010,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total,Rank (US)

United States,1,2,4,7,1

Germany,1,3,1,5,2

Switzerland,3,-,-,3,3

Korea,2,1,-,3,4

France,2,-,1,3,5

Canada,1,1,1,3,6

Norway,-,2,1,3,7

Italy,-,1,2,3,8

China,1,1,-,2,9

Czech Republic,1,-,1,2,10

Japan,-,1,1,2,11

Netherlands,1,-,-,1,=12

Slovakia,1,-,-,1,=12

Sweden,1,-,-,1,=12

Australia,-,1,-,1,=15

Estonia,-,1,-,1,=15

Poland,-,1,-,1,=15

Austria,-,-,1,1,=18

Croatia,-,-,1,1,=18

Russia,-,-,1,1,=18

Totals (15 events),15,15,15,45

[/table]

[table]

Day #4 – 13 Feb 2006,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total,Rank (US)

Norway,1,3,4,8,1

Russia,3,2,2,7,2

United States,4,2,-,6,3

Germany,2,1,-,3,4

Netherlands,1,2,-,3,5

Korea,1,1,1,3,6

Italy,1,-,2,3,7

China,-,1,2,3,8

Canada,1,-,1,2,=9

France,1,-,1,2,=9

Austria,-,2,-,2,11

Finland,-,1,1,2,12

Estonia,1,-,-,1,13

Czech Republic,-,1,-,1,14

Latvia,-,-,1,1,=15

Switzerland,-,-,1,1,=15

Totals (16 events),16,16,16,48

[/table]

[table]

Day #4 – 11 Feb 2002,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total,Rank (US)

Germany,2,3,1,6,=1

United States,2,3,1,6,=1

Austria,2,1,3,6,3

Norway,2,2,1,5,4

Russia,1,-,2,3,5

Italy,2,-,-,2,6

Finland,1,1,-,2,=7

Netherlands,1,1,-,2,=7

Switzerland,1,-,1,2,9

Czech Republic,-,1,-,1,=10

France,-,1,-,1,=10

Canada,-,-,1,1,=12

China,-,-,1,1,=12

Japan,-,-,1,1,=12

Poland,-,-,1,1,=12

Sweden,-,-,1,1,=12

Totals (13 events),14,13,14,41

[/table]

[table]

Day #4 – 10 Feb 1998,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total,Rank (US)

Russia,4,3,-,7,1

Germany,1,1,3,5,2

Canada,1,1,1,3,3

Italy,-,2,1,3,4

Norway,-,1,2,3,5

Netherlands,1,1,-,2,6

Czech Republic,-,1,1,2,7

Bulgaria,1,-,-,1,=8

Finland,1,-,-,1,=8

France,1,-,-,1,=8

Japan,1,-,-,1,=8

Ukraine,-,1,-,1,12

Austria,-,-,1,1,=13

Belgium,-,-,1,1,=13

Switzerland,-,-,1,1,=13

Totals (11 events),11,11,11,33

[/table]