Bobsled crash mars Saturday’s Olympics
Published 12:10 am Sunday, February 21, 2010
WINNER VONN BRONZE: Andrea Fischbacher of Austria won the Olympic super-G after Lindsey Vonn let up at the end of the race. Vonn, who settled for bronze, won in the downhill to open her Olympics and then wiped out in the slalom leg of the super-combined. She now has three days off to rest her bruised shin before Wednesday’s giant slalom.
NO U.S. DUEL: Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands broke up the expected American duel between Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick, winning the gold medal in the 1,500 meters. Davis, hoping to add to his gold in the 1,000, settled for silver. Hedrick was sixth.
SWISS SENSATION: Switzerland’s Simon Ammann became the first ski jumper to win four individual Olympic titles with his victory in the large hill event. The International Ski Federation dismissed Austrian complaints that Ammann’s bindings violated regulations and gave him an unfair edge, clearing him to use the equipment on the large hill — and allowing him to keep his medal from the normal hill competition a week ago.
MEDAL COUNT: The U.S. has 22 medals, six of them gold. Germany has 14 overall, including four golds. Half of Norway’s 10 medals are gold.
BOBSLED CRASHES: Four crashes marred the opening heats of the two-man bobsled competition, involving Canada’s top entry and sleds from Liechtenstein, Britain and Australia. No serious injuries were reported.
LUGE DEATH: IOC president Jacques Rogge promised to do “everything in my power” to prevent a repeat of the crash that killed an Olympic luger and raised questions about the safety of speed events. Rogge said in an interview with The Associated Press that the International Olympic Committee would work with the luge federation to “take all the steps that might be needed” to avoid another tragedy at future games.
NORTHERN HIGH-LIGHTS: Marcus Hellner of Sweden won the men’s 30-kilometer cross-country pursuit. … The start of Sunday’s final round of two-man bobsledding was delayed 2 1/2 hours because of warm weather. … Teemu Selanne of Finland has 20 goals and 17 assists in his Olympic hockey career, breaking the mark that had been shared by Russia’s Valeri Kharlamov, Vlastimil Bubnik of the former Czechoslovakia and Canada’s Harry Watson.