Category Archives: Olympics

The Outsliders: China’s curlers prepare to take on Canada

Day 11 review

Aside from the drama of the women’s 3,000 m relay – which ended China’s Olympic short track streak in the women’s events at six – there were a couple of heats: 500 m winner Li Jianrou and Fan Kexin safely made it through to the quarterfinals of the women’s 1,000 m, though Liu Qiuhong was disqualified for impeding another skater; on the men’s side, Liang Wenhao, Han Tianyu and Wu Dajing all won their heats and progressed through to the quarterfinals, which start late on Saturday night.

Li Jianrou in action in the women's 1,000 m heats
Li Jianrou in action in the women’s 1,000 m heats

Continue reading The Outsliders: China’s curlers prepare to take on Canada

Koreans get relay revenge as China is disqualified

[UPDATE: Did the Koreans do exactly the same as the Chinese but get away with it? Canada’s head coach says yes…]

Following the controversial women’s short track 3,000 m relay final four years ago in Vancouver in which the Korean team crossed the line first, but were disqualified after a Chinese protest – giving China the gold – the rematch took place yesterday and it certainly lived up to the hype. Here are the highlights:  Continue reading Koreans get relay revenge as China is disqualified

China vs Korea Part 2: Bad blood revisited

Day 11 preview

Zhou Yang and Li Jianrou will both be racing in the 3,000 relay final.
Zhou Yang and Li Jianrou will both be racing in the 3,000 relay final.

Short track returns and the big one for China is the women’s 3,000 m relay final. China is the defending champion, but the Koreans will start as favorites having had the better form and quicker times in recent months.  Continue reading China vs Korea Part 2: Bad blood revisited

Legion of Broom: China’s curlers live to sweep another day

Aside from the comparative disappointment of only winning a bronze medal in the men’s aerials, Day 10 was a good one for China.

Chinese skip Liu Rui
Chinese skip Liu Rui

The men’s curling team – which only made its Olympic debut in 2010, finishing 8th – won through to its first Olympic semifinal on Monday with a 6-5 win over Great Britain. China’s skip, Liu Rui, led his team to a 7-2 record in the round-robin competition – bettered only by 2013 world champion Sweden (8-1) – and will now face Canada on Wednesday evening for a place in the final.

Continue reading Legion of Broom: China’s curlers live to sweep another day

Consolation prize for China’s flying men in Sochi

You win some, you lose some.

China most certainly won some earlier at these Olympics, with Li Jianrou and Zhang Hong both becoming unlikely Olympic champions alongside the more favored Zhou Yang, but it was in the aerials competitions – both men’s and women’s – where China was most expected to shine.

Jia Zongyang

Continue reading Consolation prize for China’s flying men in Sochi

China up to 8th in Sochi, eyes best ever finish

After a slow start, China has won medals on each of the last three days and its tally of 3 golds and 2 silvers has China in a very creditable 8th position overall at the time of writing. It was a golden Saturday for China, but Sunday could be a quiet day.

The surprisingly dominant  Chinese men's curling team
The surprisingly dominant Chinese men’s curling team

Continue reading China up to 8th in Sochi, eyes best ever finish

Gold number 3 for China: Zhou Yang defends her title

China has won its third gold of the Sochi Olympics, continuing its dominance of the women’s short track events after sweeping all four titles in Vancouver. Following Li Jianrou’s shock win in the 500 m on Thursday (Day 6), Zhou Yang successfully retained her title in the 1,500 m on Saturday evening, winning the third Olympic gold medal of her career. No news yet as to whether she thanked her country afterwards…

Zhou Yang defends her 1,500 m title in Sochi

Another medal for China on Day 7

Day 7 review

The evening aerials competition provided some stunning shots
The evening aerials competition provided some stunning shots

Chinese interest on Valentine’s Day focused on the women’s aerials competition, but it was a late one: three of the four Chinese competitors made it through to the final, which didn’t start until 0130 China time. Once there, all three – Xu Mengtao (above), Li Nina and Cheng Shuang – made it through the first stage as four of the 12 finalists were eliminated; then Xu, the 2013 world champion, and Li, Olympic silver medalist in 2006 and 2010, made it through to the final four with defending champ Lydia Lassila from Australia and Belarusian Alla Tsuper, a 34-year-old mother taking the last jump of a 16-year Olympic career that had seen her finish 5th, 9th, 10th and 8th – but no medals. Continue reading Another medal for China on Day 7