NoKo as highlight of the day
It’s getting quiet in Beijing. Most of the decisions have already been made. There are only a few days left until Sunday. Thursday will be relatively quiet. Only six decisions are on the Olympic programme. There will probably be medals to cheer for all three teams from our home area.
The women’s Alpine combined is on the programme at night. Mikaela Shiffrin wants to finally get her first medal in Yanqing. There are three women from Austria and three from Switzerland and especially in the combined a lot can happen. It is quite conceivable that Wendy Holdener will be at the top of the podium. German women are not competing.
In the women’s ski cross, Switzerland’s Fanny Smith is particularly highly rated. However, because falls can never be ruled out in this competition, German and Austrian women can also expect to have a chance. However, this does not apply to women’s figure skating and speed skating over the 1000 metres. Our athletes will rather play supporting roles in these events.
The highlight from the German point of view is the team competition in the Nordic combined. The quartet from Austria is also one of the big favourites. A lot will have to happen if these two teams are not awarded with precious metal. The women’s ice hockey final on Thursday, where Canada and the USA will face each other, could also be exciting.
The most important decisions of the day
Women’s Ski Freestyle – Ski Cross
from 7:35am CET – Genting Snowpark
Basically, the night is already underway with the freestylers’ skicross. But after the run for the seedings, it really gets down to business in the early morning with the quarter finals all the way to the final run. A lot can happen in skicross. In the snowboarders’ event, it became apparent that a few crashes shattered medal dreams very early on.
One athlete who will go into the competition unimpressed by this should be Sweden’s Sandra Näslund. She tends to win her races from the front in order not to get involved in any dangerous fights for position. This winter, the Swede won nine out of ten races in ski cross. She is the woman to beat, even if the chances of the competition are obviously slim.
Especially Fanny Smith from Switzerland, who has been on the podium several times this winter, can hope for a medal from our home area. Maybe Katrin Ofner from Austria or Daniele Maier from Germany can surprise us. Besides Sandra Näslund, only Canada’s Marielle Thompson won a World Cup this winter.
Figure Skating – Ladies Free Skating
starting at 11:00 CET – Capital Hallenstadion
Figure skating has numerous fans and especially at the Olympic Games this sport is always one of the highlights. In Beijing, at least the women’s individual competition seems to become a farce. The young Russian Kamila Valieva tested positive for doping, but is still allowed to compete in Beijing. However, it is already clear in advance that no medals will be awarded after the competition.
The decision will therefore probably only be made afterwards at the green table. Kamila Valieva is the best starter after the compulsory programme. She is clearly in the lead and if it wasn’t for the numerous discussions, she could have been crowned the new ice princess.
However, the many other athletes who will be in the final on Thursday deserve to get the attention they deserve. This also applies to Nicole Schott (Germany), Olga Mikutina (Austria) and Alexia Paganini (Switzerland), who have all reached the final of the best 20 women, but will have nothing to do with the medals.
Nordic combined – men’s team competition
starting at 12:00 CET – Zhangjiakou Ski Jumping and Cross Country Centre
The Nordic combined is really fun in Zhangjiakou. The two individual competitions have shown that a medal is within reach for the teams from Germany and Austria in the team competition on Thursday. To be honest, with these two teams and Norway, there are basically only three relay teams that can make it onto the podium.
Maybe the Japanese still have four athletes who can aim for the podium if things go perfectly. Everything else should have no chance. Finland, Italy, France and other teams have one or at most two athletes who have attracted attention this winter, but they will not be able to keep up with the top nations.
One could be curious to see with which formation especially Germany will start the race. Eric Frenzel is finally back in the team after recovering from his isolation. However, his substitute Manuel Faißt is also in the team. National coach Hermann Weinbuch has decided to do without Johannes Rydzek, who had some problems on the large hill.
Important Olympic ice hockey matches tonight
Women – Canada vs. USA
5:10am CET – Final – Wukesong Arena
It’s the expected final between Canada and the USA. Only once have the teams from Canada and the USA not faced each other in the final of the Olympic Games. Six times Olympic medals were awarded in women’s ice hockey. Four times the Maple Leafs won, twice the title went to the United States. The US girls are also the reigning Olympic champions.
This duel already took place in the preliminary round and Team Canada kept the upper hand. Overall, the Canadians also made by far the best impression at this tournament. The USA are certainly capable of standing up to their neighbours, but in the end we expect the Maple Leafs to return to the Olympic throne in women’s ice hockey.
Team Germany to watch in Beijing
From a German perspective, there aren’t many moments to root for your athletes on Thursday. At night, Sabrina Cakmakli tries to qualify for the final in the ski freestyle halfpipe. That alone would be a great success. Daniela Maier has recently performed quite well in the ski cross. Maybe she will surpass herself and have something to say about the medals.
After breakfast, Nicole Schott is allowed to take to the ice again in figure skating. As 14th in the compulsory programme, she will have no chance of reaching the top places. Maybe she will make it into the top ten with a great free skate. After that, there is really only the Nordic Combined relay left for the German fans to look forward to, because a medal seems to be as good as certain.
Team Austria to watch in Beijing 2022
The Austrians have one or two chances to win medals on Thursday. In the women’s alpine combined anything seems possible. Katharina Huber, Christine Scheyer and Ramona Siebenhofer have chances to place in the front field. Especially in this race it is very difficult to make a prediction. A precious metal for Austria is not out of the question.
Afterwards, the Austrians have three ladies in the Freestyle Skicross. As in Short Track, anything can happen there. Falls are not out of the question and if Katrin Ofner, Andrea Limbacher and Christina Födermayr stay out of it, it might go far. In speed skating and figure skating, the women from Team Austria are basically just filling up the field.
The real action will be in the Nordic combined. With Lukas Greiderer, Johannes Lamparter, Franz-Josef Rehrl and Martin Fritz, Austria has a very strong quartet at the start. A medal should be as good as certain. These are good prerequisites to maybe even attack the gold medal. In any case, the Austrian quartet should be among the front runners.
Team Switzerland to watch at Olympia 2022
Early this morning in China, the Swiss men’s curling team will give their farewell performance. The last match of the preliminary round is against Sweden. Advancing to the semifinals is no longer possible. The situation is different for the women around skip Silvana Tirinzoni. The Swiss women have already made it to the medal round and can prepare for it in the last preliminary round match against Japan.
The alpine competitions went outstandingly well for the Swiss team in Yanqing. Maybe they can bring home another precious metal in the last individual decision in the women’s combined. Michelle Gisin probably has the best cards from the Swiss team. In the ski cross it can get exciting again directly afterwards.
Apart from that, there are still the qualifications in the ski cross halfpipe. In the men’s event, the Swiss want to get their athletes into the finals. Alexia Paganini has already reached the final in women’s figure skating. Of course, precious metal is not in the cards. Even a place in the top ten seems to be almost impossible after the compulsory programme.
