Olympic Update - Feb 16

Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, Maine) successfully defended his 2006 Olympic gold medal in men’s snowboardcross. It was the second gold medal for the United States in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and eighth medal overall (2 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze).

In the closest race between gold and bronze in the event’s history, Bode Miller (Franconia, N.H.) captured a bronze for Team USA in men’s downhill skiing. Miller was edged out by Switzerland’s gold medalist Didier Degago and Aksel Lund Syindal of Norway who snagged silver.

Pairs figure skaters Amanda Evora (Sugar Land, Texas) and Mark Ladwig (Fargo, N.D./Moorhead, Minn.) placed 10th with a total score of 171.92, while Caydee Denney (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) and Jeremy Barrett (Venice, Fla.) finished 13th with a 158.33 total score.

Cross country skier Caitlin Compton (Minneapolis, Minn.) notched the best American finish since 1984 in the ladies’ 10k free, finishing 30th. James Southam (Anchorage, Alaska) topped the U.S. men in the 15k free, finishing 48th.

Following a delay mid-competition, Tucker Fredricks (Janesville, Wis.) was the highest-ranking American after Race 1 of the 500m long track speedskating. Shani Davis (Chicago, Ill.) was 18th but did not participate in the second race, Nick Pearson (West Allis, Wis.) finished 25th and Mitch Whitmore (Waukesha, Wis.) was 39th.