Winter Olympics LIVE: Kamila Valieva returns in figure skating as Team GB beat Sweden in curling
Follow latest updates from Beijing Winter Olympics 2022
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva held back tears after she returned to the Winter Olympics ice for the women’s short programme, despite a court ruling that she tested positive for a banned substance. The 15-year-old is still subject to disciplinary procedures but has been allowed to compete by a panel of three arbitrators appointed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as Russia tries to land a clean sweep of medals in the event. If she wins the event, for which she is an overwhelming favourite, the IOC has said she will not be honoured in a medal ceremony until an investigation into the doping allegations is complete. She leads the field after the first of two skates.
Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson crashed on their penultimate run of the two-man bobsleigh. Hall’s sled overturned towards the end of the run and they slid over the finish line on their side, but both emerged apparently unscathed. The Britons had started the final day of competition in 11th place after the first two runs, 1.36 seconds off the lead.
Elsewhere, China’s Eileen Gu, who won gold last week in big air, claimed silver in the women’s freeski slopestyle. Team GB’s wait for a medal goes on, though, as Kirsty Muir and Katie Summerhayes finished eighth and ninth respectively. Follow live coverage from the Winter Olympics below:
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Winter Olympics TV schedule, channels and how to watch
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Winter Olympics: Reaction to Valieva competing
A number of people in and around figure skating have been vocal around Kamila Valieva continuing to compete in Beijing despite failing a drug test. An investigation is ongoing and any medals won by the Russian may be taken away, with no medal ceremonies going ahead which involve her.
Valieva has already won a gold and is on track to bag another in the women's short programme after an impressive skate earlier today.
But some are against her competing, including Adam Rippon. The coach of US figure skater Mariah Bell told BBC Sport: “I don’t think, in the history of the Olympics, somebody with a positive test has been allowed to compete.
“I think it ruins the integrity of the Olympics. I think a lot of people at home are left scratching their heads, knowing that there’s someone with a positive test out there.
“I think, on top of it, it’s so layered because I think all of our hearts are breaking that this is a 15-year-old girl. It’s a really sad situation for her and it’s a sad situation for all of the competitors here in this event.”
Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu’s Olympic run
Eileen Gu, who has won a gold and a silver, has commanded headlines this Games for a number of reasons, as Janie Har explains.
“She is an exceptional athlete who has already won medals in the Beijing Olympics. But the deep fascination with Eileen Gu‘s origin story has threatened to overshadow anything she does on the slopes.
“As the freestyle skier chases gold in the mountains northwest of Beijing, some competing narratives about her have taken hold, from California to China.
“Some have the San Francisco native skiing for the Chinese team to secure more lucrative endorsements. In others, she has betrayed the United States, where she was born and grew up, to ski for China, her mother’s native country.
“And a third: She was way too young to have made the decision to “abandon” the United States for China, where a single misstep could lead a repressive government to restrict her movement or her speech.”
Read the full piece:
Eileen Gu is navigating two cultures and being judged by both of them
Gu has won gold and silver in Beijing but divides opinion both at home and abroad
Winter Olympics: Jarl Magnus Riiber’s mistake
One of the strangest moments of the Games so far happened earlier today as Jarl Magnus Riiber went the wrong way on the combined large hill/10km track.
He was in medal contention when he made the error, having to loop back to get himself back on the correct path. He eventually ended in eighth place and has spoken about his mistake.
The Norwegian, who had tested positive for Covid and had to isolate ahead of the Games, said: “It’s not fun to show the world that I maybe wasted a gold medal.
“I had been locked inside for two weeks, not breathing fresh air. My body is not working. Normally, I’m one of the better skiers and today I was just bad.”
His compatriot Joergen Graabak claimed the gold with another Norwegian Jens Lurås Oftebro bagging silver.
Winter Olympics: Day 11 round-up
So that is the end to the live action on day 11 of the Winter Olympics and what a day it has been!
The biggest headline is Kamila Valieva returning to the ice for the first time since the investigation into her alleged failed drug test. She put in a great but not perfect performance to finish the women’s short programme in the gold medal position. She and 24 other skaters will compete in the free skate to determine the final medal positions.
Great Britain’s men’s curlers defeated Sweden to bag themselves a semi-final spot and there was more good news in the women’s curling event as Eve Muirhead inspired a 10-4 win over Japan. If the women had last the match their Olympic run would have been over.
Kirsty Muir, Britain’s bright star from this Games, finished eighth in the women’s ski slopestyle final. Her compatriot Katie Summerhayes finished ninth.
Switzerland’s Corinne Suter won gold in the women’s downhill.
Germany grabbed a 1, 2, 3 in the 2-man bobsleigh event. Great Britain’s Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson were attempting to hold onto the bronze medal but crashed out to finish 11th.
Winter Olympics: Nail-biting curling finish but ROC beat Canada
Well that had us on the edge of our seats!
Canada’s men were up against the ROC in the men’s curling round robin and the teams were so close in performance the match was pushed to an extra end.
To make things more tense, it all came down to the last stone. Glukhov sent the stone on its way and the team swept it to the perfect position to take a 7-6 win.
This means the ROC are within touching distance of the semi-finals.
Winter Olympics: Valieva quotes incoming
The media room is packed and waiting for the top three skaters in the women’s short programme today, the ROC’s Kamila Valieva, Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova.
No matter your feelings around Valieva’s situation, you have to feel for the 15-year-old.
Quotes from the teenager are expected shortly and all the updates will come as soon as we have them.
Winter Olympics: Britain’s curlers react to beating Sweden
Great Britain secured their semi-final spot just moments ago with a 7-6 win over the impressive Sweden.
Bruce Mouat, who missed out on a medal in the mixed event, told BBC Sport: “That was probably our best performance. We came out blocks really well. We put them under pressure first two ends, got the jump on them and continued from that line of play. I’m really happy with how it went.”
The team have two round robin matches left and if they win both they could end up topping the table.
Winter Olympics: Valieva returns to the ice
Let’s take a look back at the emotional skate we saw earlier today from the ROC’s Kamila Valieva.
She fought back the tears after her first skate since the doping controversy that has engulfed the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The ROC skater was awarded a massive score of 82.16 by the judges before an outpouring of emotion while hunching over her knees.
The 15-year-old takes a huge lead at the top of the standings and is on course for gold, but that medal may never be awarded after her positive test for a banned substance was revealed last week.
It was not perfect, unsurprisingly given the circumstances, with a slight fall on the triple axel. But she survived the rest of her short program and continued her march towards another gold medal.
Read the full piece:
Kamila Valieva holds back tears after first skate since doping controversy
It was announced last week that the 15-year-old tested positive for a banned substance back in December
Winter Olympics: Britain spoil Sweden’s curling party
Well what a sensational performance from GB! That has seen them qualify for the men’s curling semi-finals with round robin matches left to play.
Sweden were undefeated in the Beijing Games but Britain have spoiled the party with a 7-6 win. It came down to the wire but in the end the bright start from Bruce Mouat’s men saw them take the victory.
Sweden are, of course, are already through to the semi-final with their great run at the Games.
Winter Olympics: Can Britain beat Sweden in curling round robin?
Britain put in an impressive performance to push Sweden 7-5 into the final end in the curling round robin. Sweden hadn’t been beaten heading into the clash with Britain.
But this is coming down to the tenth end, can they do it? We will soon find out...
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