Speed skating upset: ning zhongyan edges Jordan Stolz in 1,500m as U.S. advances in curling, readies for figure skating and hockey finals
Milan Cortina — Thursday, Feb. 19 (ET) brought headline moments across the Winter Games: China’s Zhongyan Ning captured a surprise gold in the men’s 1, 500 meters, Jordan Stolz added a silver to his two earlier wins, Team USA women’s curling survived an extra-end thriller to reach the semifinals, and U. S. skaters and hockey players prepared for high-stakes final programs.
ning zhongyan denies Stolz a sweep in the 1, 500m
Jordan Stolz, the 21-year-old phenom who already had Olympic gold medals in the 500m and 1, 000m, was the favorite in the 1, 500m but finished second. Zhongyan Ning produced the winning time, leaving Stolz 0. 77 seconds in arrears and taking the top step. Dutch skater Kjeld Nuis claimed the bronze.
Stolz’s podium in the 1, 500m gives him three medals at his debut Games, and he still has one event left: the mass start on Saturday, Feb. 21 (ET). Ice preparations in the temporary speed skating arena have been widely praised for consistency and speed, with several Olympic records already set earlier in the competition. Those conditions helped create the fast times that defined the early days of action on the oval.
U. S. women’s curling survives extra-end drama to reach semifinals
Team USA entered Thursday with a clear objective: beat Switzerland and clinch a spot in the playoff bracket. What unfolded was tighter than expected. The U. S. rallied to a 7-6 victory after an extra end, when the skip executed a precise hammer shot to seal the win.
The match swung late. Switzerland scored three in the 10th end to force overtime after a back-and-forth contest. In the extra end, the U. S. had to overcome earlier misses and pressure shots, but the decisive final placement with the hammer turned the match in their favor and advanced the team to the semifinals.
That result keeps the American women in medal contention and sets up a high-stakes semifinal where shot-making and strategy will be under intense scrutiny.
Figure skating and hockey deliver must-watch finals for Team USA
One of the Olympics’ most anticipated moments arrives when the women’s figure skaters take the ice for the free skate. The U. S. entered the short program hoping for a strong showing from its top trio, but only Alysa Liu remained in podium position after the short. Liu sits third and will skate for medals in the free program. Teammates Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn face uphill battles: Levito is eighth while Glenn dropped to 13th after a short rotation error and an emotional response post-skate.
The free skate will decide who stands on the podium and whether Liu can climb into gold contention while her teammates attempt dramatic comebacks.
On the ice in a different arena, the U. S. women’s hockey team prepares for a showdown with Canada in the gold-medal match. The Americans enter the final as the clear favorites, having dominated group play — often posting five or more goals per game — and allowing only one goal across their tournament to date before play-offs. Their goal differential through six games stands out, and a convincing group-stage victory over Canada sets a storyline of redemption and rivalry heading into the final.
Thursday’s slate underscored the breadth of competition at these Games: marquee individual milestones, clutch team performances, and championship finals that will define medal tables and national expectations as the Olympics move toward their climax.
