Day 11 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

By Aditi Sangal, Matias Grez, Jack Bantock, Helen Regan, Adam Renton and Patrick Sung, CNN

Updated 7:27 p.m. ET, February 15, 2022
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3:21 p.m. ET, February 15, 2022

What happened in Beijing while you slept: Kamila Valieva's emotional skate and China's best Winter Games ever

From CNN's Jason Kurtz and Aditi Sangal

Our live coverage of the 11th day of the 2022 Winter Games is winding down, but we're here to catch you up on the biggest moments of the day.

A lot of the action in Beijing happened in overnight US hours — so if you slept through it all, here's what you need to know:

⛸ Russian skater earns top score in emotional return to the ice

Embattled teen skater Kamila Valieva is on to Thursday's free skate medal event after posting the top score during Tuesday's short program. Valieva, who only this week learned she'd be permitted to continue competing despite a December failed drug test, turned in an 82.16.

Valieva's score was top in the field, and after finishing her program the 15-year-old Russian, broke into tears on the ice as the emotions of the past few days appeared to catch up with her.

A controversial ruling by a top sports court has allowed Valieva to continue her pursuit of Olympic glory — though said pursuit will undoubtedly be forced to bear the weight of incredible scrutiny and increased attention.

And remember: The field in Thursday's women's free skate medal event will be larger than initially anticipated. Before today's competition, the IOC changed the rules in case Valieva is ultimately disqualified — 25 skaters will go through to the longer program on Thursday, one more than the usual 24.

🛢Chinese skater "adds oil" to rebound from early Olympic struggles

"Add oil." In English, the phrase is — at best — confusing, conjuring up ideas of either culinary guidance or automobile maintenance. But in Chinese the words were music to the ears of figure skater Zhu Yi.

"Add oil" is the Chinese equivalent of "go go" — and it's just what Yi needed to hear as the 19-year-old took the Beijing ice Tuesday, where she landed all of her jumps and earned a satisfactory score of 53.44.

A series of falls — one in Sunday's team short program, and two during Monday's team free skate — unleashed a fury on Chinese social media. But after solidly rebounding Tuesday, Yi allowed a smile to cross her face, appearing to appreciate the support she'd received from the loud crowd in attendance.

Ultimately, however, Yi's skate was not strong enough to send her to the final, as she finished 27th overall and failed to qualify for Thursday's medal event.

🥇 2022 is already China's top Winter Olympics effort

China has solidified it's most-decorated Winter Olympics. With teen snowboarder Su Yiming earning gold in Tuesday's big air event, the host nation now has six gold medals to its credit, passing the country's previous high of five in 2010 in Vancouver.

At only 17 years old, Su is China's youngest-ever Winter Olympic champ.

⛷ Chat with mom helps Eileen Gu earn skiing silver

Eileen Gu's Olympic dreams were sinking fast. So the 18-year-old did what many teens might: she phoned home.

After plummeting into 8th position, and with a podium finish seeming rather unlikely, the teen skiing sensation reached out to her mom.

"My mum knows me very well and she knows the way my brain works with pressure," said Gu, who spoke to her mom during the event.

"I talked to her after the first run. She was like: 'Pretend your second run is your third run, pretend you have no more chances.'"

Gu then put her mom's advice into action, ripping off a remarkable final run, good enough to get her back into contention.

She'd ultimately earn silver in the women's freeski slopestyle, proving once again, that "Mom Knows Best."

6:40 p.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Nine medals were at stake on Tuesday at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Here's who won

From CNN's Wayne Sterling

Norway's Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen celebrates after crossing the finish line in the men's biathlon 4x7.5km relay on February 15.
Norway's Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen celebrates after crossing the finish line in the men's biathlon 4x7.5km relay on February 15. (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images)

European athletes dominated most medal events scheduled for Tuesday. Here's a recap of the gold medal wins on Day 11 of the Winter Games.

Alpine Skiing:

  • Switzerland's Corinne Suter captured the top spot on the podium for the women's downhill event.

Biathlon:

Bobsled: 

  • Francesco Friedrich won gold to enhance his legend status in the sport on an all-German two-man bobsled podium.

Freestyle Skiing:

  • Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud clinched the gold in the women's freeski slopestyle event.

Nordic Combined:

  • Jørgen Graabak of Norway won the individual Gundersen large hill/10km cross-country event in an event filled with drama.

Snowboard:

  • Austria's Anna Gasser bagged the gold in the women's snowboard big air event.
  • China's Su Yiming win in the men's snowboard big air event ensured the host nation's best ever Winter Olympics haul.

Speed Skating:

  • Canada won the women's team pursuit event in a shock finale where favorites Japan had a skater fall on the last turn of the race.
  • Norway took the gold in men's team pursuit in dominant fashion.

Here's where the official Olympic medal count stands so far. 

12:14 p.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Some of the best snaps from Day 11 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games

From CNN's Will Lanzoni

Austrian snowboarder Anna Gasser competes in the big air finals on February 15. She won gold to defend her Olympic title.
Austrian snowboarder Anna Gasser competes in the big air finals on February 15. She won gold to defend her Olympic title. (Patrick Steiner/GEPA Pictures/Sipa/AP)

Switzerland's Corinne Suter skis in the downhill event on February 15. She won gold.
Switzerland's Corinne Suter skis in the downhill event on February 15. She won gold. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)

Germany's Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis make their final run in the two-man bobsled on February 15. They topped the all-German podium. Four years ago, Friedrich also won gold in the two-man and four-man events.
Germany's Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis make their final run in the two-man bobsled on February 15. They topped the all-German podium. Four years ago, Friedrich also won gold in the two-man and four-man events. (Pavel Golovkin/AP)

Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, left, hugs China's Eileen Gu after they finished 1-2 in the slopestyle finals on February 15. Both Gremaud and Gu have won two medals at these Games. Gremaud won a bronze earlier in the big air competition, while Gu won gold in that event.
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, left, hugs China's Eileen Gu after they finished 1-2 in the slopestyle finals on February 15. Both Gremaud and Gu have won two medals at these Games. Gremaud won a bronze earlier in the big air competition, while Gu won gold in that event. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva performs her short program at the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 15.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva performs her short program at the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 15. (Dan Hodge/CNN)

Take a look back at the best photos from the Olympics so far.

10:34 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Kiss Cam spotted on the slopes

From CNN Sport staff

"It's time for my close up."
"It's time for my close up." (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Sofia Goggia may have stayed on her feet to execute an impressive run in the women's downhill event on Tuesday, but she appears to have fallen for the camera.

Less than 24 hours after Valentine's Day, the Italian claimed a memorable silver medal and had plenty of love to share for the viewers back at home.

It's incredible that Goggia even made it to Beijing 2022 after injuring her left knee in a skiing accident last month.

"I'm glad I gave everything to be here today," she said after her win.

"I'm glad and grateful that I could achieve another medal, and I'm happy with myself."

10:36 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Francesco Friedrich adds another gold as Germany sweeps two-man bobsled podium

From CNN's Jack Bantock

Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis compete in the two-man bobsled on February 15.
Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis compete in the two-man bobsled on February 15. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)

With just three pilots to go, Switzerland's Michael Vogt sat in gold medal position for the two-man bobsled event.

Mere minutes later, he found himself finishing outside the podium places.

Francesco Friedrich and brakeman Thorsten Margis capped a historic day for Germany at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre, taking gold on the final run of the evening to secure a famous one-two-three finish for their country.

It is the first time in Winter Olympic history that a nation has swept the podium in a bobsled event.

Friedrich's time of 3:56.89 put him ahead of compatriots Johannes Lochner and Christoph Hafer in silver and bronze respectively.

After the most unusual of pre-Games preparations, Friedrich reflected on a "crazy two weeks" heading into Beijing.

"We have to wait and wait and wear every day the mask in every situation; eating fast, then the mask on," he said.

"Then the competition start and we feel good, we know that we are good in pushing ... I did it really good the first run, then in the second run, I make some mistakes which lose us time.

"In the third run, we say we have to fight, we have to attack Hansi [Johannes Lochner] ... we go, and it worked, we did it."

Having won two golds in Pyeongchang four years ago, Friedrich's triumph in Beijing pens another chapter in a glittering career of dominance — with the potential to complete a never-before-seen double defense in the four-man event which begins on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Friedrich is a 13-time world champion across two-man, four-man and team events, cementing his place as the most decorated pilot in bobsledding world championship history and one of the greatest of all time.

The key to his success? Love what you do.

"I have the luck that what I do is my job," Friedrich said. "I love that and it makes (it) so much fun, and it's my daily job. I give all for that.

"It's only a small time in our life, and we must use it 110% or you should do another thing."

9:55 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

CNN's Beijing 2022 event guide: Cross-country skiing

From CNN's Sana Noor Haq

Athletes compete in the women's skiathlon on February 5.
Athletes compete in the women's skiathlon on February 5. (Odd Anderson/AFP/Getty Images)

Cross-country skiing is the oldest type of skiing and evolved as a form of travel between remote communities. 

Cross-country skiers either use the freestyle technique, where they ski side-to-side, or the classic technique, which involves striding forward. The techniques used in each event vary during each edition of the Games, depending on the guidelines set by the FIS.

Cross-country skiing was one of the first ever Winter Olympic sports, debuting at the 1924 Chamonix Games in France with men's events. Nearly 30 years later, women's events were inaugurated at the 1952 Oslo Olympics in Norway. 

There will be 36 medals for the taking across 12 events at this year's Winter Olympics.

On the men's side, there will be the 15km classic, 15km + 15km skiathlon, sprint free, team sprint classic, 4x10km relay and the 50km mass start free. Female competitors will participate in the 10km classic, 7.5km + 7.5km skiathlon, sprint free, team sprint classic, 4x5km relay and the 30km mass start free.

Cross-country skiing events run until the end of the Beijing Games on February 20 with the women's 30km mass start free.

9:35 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Kamila Valieva finishes the short program in first place ahead of Thursday's free skate medal event

From CNN's Matias Grez

Kamila Valieva competes in the women's individual short program on February 15.
Kamila Valieva competes in the women's individual short program on February 15. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)

With all the skaters completing their routines, we now have confirmation that Kamila Valieva has finished the short program routine in first place.

She will now be the strong favorite to claim the gold medal ahead of Thursday's free skate event.

Valieva's final score of 82.16 is comfortably ahead of her Russian Olympic Committee teammate Anna Shcherbakova's 80.20 points in second place.

Japan's Kaori Sakamoto is in third place with a score of 79.84 ahead of Thursday.

10:00 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Kamila Valieva tears up after impressive short program routine, making it to Thursday's free skate event

From CNN's Matias Grez, Selina Wang and Sandi Sidhu

Kamila Valieva tears up after skating in the women's short program on February 15.
Kamila Valieva tears up after skating in the women's short program on February 15. (Harry How/Getty Images)

There were tears from Kamila Valieva as she completes an impressive routine, posting a score of 82.16.

There was a slight stumble on her opening jump, a triple Axel, but she held it together well until the end to post the top score of the women's short program.

The crowd were audibly getting behind Valieva, perhaps more so than any other skater.

"Loudest applause for anyone for her when she finished," according to CNN staff inside the arena. "She looks incredibly emotional."

Valieva's score means that she makes it through to the free skate program on Thursday, where she will be one of the favorites for the gold.

The 15-year-old was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compete at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics after being at the center of a doping scandal.

After finishing her routine, she "walked past all of the journalists, including Russian ones, and left the mixed zone. She looked very solemn and didn’t speak to anyone or look at anyone," CNN staff in the arena reported.

8:53 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Kamila Valieva steps out onto the ice

From CNN's Matias Grez

All eyes are on Kamila Valieva as she steps on the ice this afternoon for the women single skating short program event, but so far she doesn't seem to be perturbed at all.

"Huge applause for Kamila when they announced her name," according to CNN Sport staff inside the arena. "She looks smooth and [had] perfection execution in her warm up."

"Russia is clapping for her even before she starts. Huge applause around the stadium. HUGE," CNN's Selina Wang reports.