Day 14 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

By Aditi Sangal, Ben Morse, Ben Church, Rhea Mogul, Adam Renton and Patrick Sung, CNN

Updated 8:03 p.m. ET, February 18, 2022
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11:48 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

ROC advances to gold medal game in men's ice hockey following dramatic penalty shootout

From CNN Sports staff

The Russian Olympic Committee hockey team celebrates after defeating Sweden in a penalty shootout on February 18.
The Russian Olympic Committee hockey team celebrates after defeating Sweden in a penalty shootout on February 18. (Harry How/Getty Images)

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has advanced to the gold medal game in men’s ice hockey, defeating Sweden 2-1 in a thriller at the Beijing Olympics.

After being tied at the end of regulation and overtime sudden death, the match went into a penalty shootout where the ROC’s Arseni Gritsyuk sealed the victory for the defending champions in the eighth round.

“Honestly, it was really nerve-wracking," the ROC's Mikhail Grigorenko said.

“We knew it was not going to be a high-scoring game. I think every player on my team played his heart out. We played for each other. Credit to the Swedes, they fought hard.”

The ROC will face Finland the men’s final on Sunday. Sweden will face Slovakia in the bronze medal match on Sunday. 

11:41 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Skier Mikaela Shiffrin clarifies social media posts are "for the people getting hate"

From CNN's Homero De La Fuente

Mikaela Shiffrin at the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
Mikaela Shiffrin at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

US alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin took to social media on Friday to address her previous day's posts, saying they weren’t intended for the haters but for the people getting hate.

“I truly believe that if you try to address the haters by hating on the haters, it really only continues to spread hate and it doesn’t fix the problem,” the two-time Olympic gold medalist said. “The haters are there because they have decided they want to hate you and you’re really not going to do anything to stop hating you, so you might as well not waste your energy on that.” 

On Thursday, the 26-year-old posted several screenshots on her Instagram Stories with the first four showing words and phrases written in text filled with harsh criticism, including “Choker” … “ Can’t handle the pressure” … “Arrogant”… “Disgrace. Unacceptable.”

Shiffrin failed to medal in all four individual alpine skiing events she participated at the Beijing Games, registering a did-not-finish (DNF) in three of them.

“The people out there who are experiencing any kind of those messages, those comments, that make you feel about this small, that make you feel like your entire self-worth is summed up in awful sentence sent by an awful person who thinks awful things about you," the 26-year-old wrote.

"The whole premise of it, I don’t really understand, but that message, that was meant for you guys to get up and to keep going. Get out of bed the next day even though you’re getting these messages that make you feel awful… awful.

"That’s okay, they’re always going to be there and you can choose to take them and dwell on them and let them make you want to retire, let them make you want to disappear and just never be seen again or you can just say, 'Hey, I’ve got a great sense of humor and I’ve got a lot more to give to this world, so back off and let me do my thing,' and I think a lot of you out there who might be experiencing these hate messages — I think a lot of you have that fire in you, so you just go for it and don’t send a message to your haters.

"They don’t deserve your time being wasted on them. You just spread that message to the next person getting hate.”

Shiffrin will have one more shot at a medal as she is scheduled to compete in the mixed team parallel slalom competition on Saturday. 

10:39 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Chinese figure skaters Sui Wenjing and Han Cong post world record score in pairs short program

From CNN’s Aleks Klosok in London

Chinese skating duo Sui Wenjing and Han Cong compete in the pairs short program on February 18.
Chinese skating duo Sui Wenjing and Han Cong compete in the pairs short program on February 18. (Bernat Armangue/AP)

Chinese pair Sui Wenjing and Han Cong produced a mesmerizing performance to shatter their own world record in the pairs short program at the Beijing Games on Friday. 

Sui and Han — silver medalists four years ago at the PyeongChang Games — scored 84.41 points, beating the previous total of 82.83 they set during the team event.

The duo were skating to the "Mission Impossible 2 Orchestra Suite: Part 1" by Hans Zimmer. 

Sui told reporters after the pair's routine that a record wasn't the goal: "To be honest, we didn’t pay much attention to how many points we could get, we focused more on if we could enjoy the program and performance today.

"I think today we enjoyed it and we are happy. I hope we can perform our best tomorrow. The short program is just the beginning."

The Chinese pair top the standings heading into Saturday’s free skating competition.

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) occupy the second and third places with both pairs scoring personal bests. 

Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov ended with a score of 84.25, ahead of world champions Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov's on 82.76 points.

9:13 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Catch me if you can... no, really, catch me.

From CNN Sport staff

"Yes, I really am thinking, 'Do not drop me.'"
"Yes, I really am thinking, 'Do not drop me.'" (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

"Wow, the view from up here is great!"

Hailey Kops probably didn't say that, but she would have gotten a fantastic view of the Capital Indoor Stadium after being flung in the air by teammate Evgeni Krasnopolski during the pairs skating short program.

Although he might not look confident at that exact moment in time, we can report that Krasnopolski safely caught Kops, and the pairing from Israel finished in 15th position at the end of the short program.

9:43 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Figure skating body to vote on raising minimum competition age to 17

From CNN’s Aleks Klosok in London

15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva trains in Beijing on February 16.
15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva trains in Beijing on February 16.  (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

The International Figure Skating Union (ISU) will hold a vote at its Congress in June on a proposal to raise the minimum age for competitors to 17, the governing body told CNN on Friday.

The sport has been at the center of attention after 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva was allowed to continuing compete at the Beijing Games despite failing a drug test in December 2021.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided Valieva should be allowed to compete due to “exceptional circumstances,” including specific provisions linked to her status as a “protected person” – because she is a minor – under the World Anti-Doping Code.

Questions have also surrounded the adults around the teen figure skater responsible for her skating and welfare. 

Both the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) have said they will be investigating the 15-year-old's entourage.

“Although the ISU does not usually provide details regarding proposals that could be included in the ISU Congress Agenda prior to its official publication, considering the current situation and various media reports, the ISU can confirm that the ISU Council has already decided to include a proposal to increase the competitors’ age limit to 17 across all ISU Figure Skating disciplines,” read a statement.

The ISU Congress 2022 is scheduled to take place from June 6-10 in Phuket, Thailand.

The ISU added that for proposals to be accepted, a two-thirds majority vote by ISU Members is required.

The agenda for the Congress is due to be published on April 30, 2022.

10:24 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc enjoy Winter Olympic debut together

From CNN's Sport Staff

American figure skaters Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc compete in the pairs short program on February 18.
American figure skaters Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc compete in the pairs short program on February 18. (Jeff Roberson/AP)

There was a lot of noise from the Americans in the stands when Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc took to the rink for their short program routine in the pair skating event.

Big things were expected from the Team USA pair on their Olympic debut and they looked ecstatic with their performance, jumping for joy and fist pumping the air.

Speaking to Olympics.com, after their short program, LeDuc – the first openly non binary competitor in Winter Olympic history – said, "Today was a really joyous moment on the ice. We worked really hard to have that moment. Ashley and I both brought today our authentic selves. We lead with authenticity and lead with what makes us unique and different. That's hopefully the message that when people watch us, hopefully, they feel the same: inspired to lead with what makes them unique and different."

"Hopefully, we're making a path for others to not have to change things about themselves in order to find more success in skating or in other things that they pursue. I know the only reason that I can be open about my gender is because amazing, amazing queer people have come before me and laid the groundwork, and I am one of many and hopefully laying the work for others to come, as well."

The pair finished sixth overall and will qualify for the free skating event on Saturday but will face an uphill battle to secure a podium finish.

They'll certainly struggle to topple the current leaders, China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who broke their own world record on Friday, scoring 84.41.

Cain-Gribble and LeDuc spoke to CNN ahead of the Games. Read more about their friendship on and off the ice here.

7:49 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Team USA names Elana Meyers Taylor as Closing Ceremony flag bearer

From CNN's Homero De La Fuente

Elana Meyers Taylor accepts her silver medal during the medal ceremony for the women's monobob event on February 14.
Elana Meyers Taylor accepts her silver medal during the medal ceremony for the women's monobob event on February 14. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Team USA has announced four-time Olympic bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor as the Closing Ceremony flag bearer at Beijing 2022.

Meyers Taylor had originally been elected as the Opening Ceremony flag bearer but was forced to miss the ceremony after testing positive for Covid-19 – speedskater Brittany Bowe walked on behalf of Meyers Taylor.

In a statement Friday, Meyers Taylor said she was "so honored to be named the Opening Ceremony flag bearer, but after not being able to carry the flag, it’s even more humbling to lead the United States at the Closing Ceremony."

She added: "Congratulations to my fellow Team USA athletes on all their success in Beijing – I'm looking forward to carrying the flag with my teammates by my side and closing out these Games.” 

The 37-year-old, who won the silver medal in the Olympics debut of women’s monobob, is the second US athlete to have been elected as the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony flag bearer, joining bobsled and skeleton athlete Jack Heaton, who did the same at St. Moritz in 1948.

The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for February 20.

7:22 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

Gus Kenworthy will take Winter Olympics final bow at Beijing 2022

From CNN's Finn McSkimming and Ben Church

Gus Kenworthy waits for his score to come in during halfpipe qualification on February 17.
Gus Kenworthy waits for his score to come in during halfpipe qualification on February 17. (Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Gus Kenworthy has competed twice for the US at the Winter Games but, at Beijing 2022, the star will be representing Team GB for the first time before retiring.

The 30-year-old isn’t entirely sure what his life will be like beyond competitive skiing, but he’s in no rush to find out.

In recent years, he has made a number of TV appearances, starring as ‘Chet Clancy’ in cult-favorite series “American Horror Story,” as well as being a guest judge on the iconic RuPaul’s “Drag Race All Stars.”

“I know what I’m interested in and I want to try and pursue acting. I’ve been doing a little bit,” he said.
“I’ve kind of put a hold on everything, I haven’t been taking any classes or auditioning or anything because all my focus has been on the Olympics.
“But following Beijing, I definitely want to continue to work at it and try and get better. Keep auditioning, hopefully work, book something and then I don’t know.”

Kenworthy will compete for a podium place in the men’s freeski halfpipe final run on February 19.

Read more about Kenworthy's stellar career here.

7:09 a.m. ET, February 18, 2022

CNN's Beijing 2022 event guide: Speed skating

From CNN's Sana Noor Haq

Jordan Stolz (L) of Team USA and Kim Min-seok of South Korea compete in the men's 1,000m speed skating race on Friday.
Jordan Stolz (L) of Team USA and Kim Min-seok of South Korea compete in the men's 1,000m speed skating race on Friday. (Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS/Getty Images)

First debuting at the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics, speed skating involves athletes racing alongside each other, with each skater hoping to set the fastest time out of all the participants in the field.

Athletes race across a 400m oval-shaped track for individual races, where the fastest places first. 

In the team pursuit, three-person squads representing two different countries compete in an eight-lap race on opposite sides of the track. Each team must race as a group, and their times are determined by the third person who crosses the finish line. 

There are 16 laps in the mass start event, which is a points-based competition. Almost 24 skaters can take part at the start of the event.

There will be 14 medals for the taking across 14 events at Beijing 2022, including the women's 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, mass start and team pursuit; and the men's 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m, mass start and team pursuit.

The number of speed skating events held makes it the largest sport at this year's Winter Olympics and it runs until February 19.

Read more about all the events at Beijing 2022 here.