The figure skating team event concludes Sunday with free skates for pairs, women and men. The U.S. team is looking to win back-to-back gold medals.
WASHINGTON — U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn will continue her chase for Olympic gold in the downhill on Sunday — after two successful training runs with a ruptured ACL.
Vonn, 41, is skiing at the Milan Cortina Games with a large brace on her knee. She has been clear since her crash last week in Switzerland that she would go forward despite an injury that many athletes would consider a season- or even a career-ender.
In Friday’s training, she finished 1.39 seconds behind American teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who posted the fastest time and is also a medal threat with two career podium results in Cortina.
In Saturday’s training, she crossed in third position, 0.37 seconds behind leader and teammate Breezy Johnson, and pumped her fist after seeing the result.
Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins in Cortina.
Joining Vonn, Wiles and Johnson for Team USA is Paula Moltzan.
The women’s downhill event starts at 5:30 a.m. ET.
Figure skating team event Day 3
The United States is the defending champ in the team event and was leading after two days of competition.
Ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates scored a world-leading 91.06 points in rhythm dance to open the competition on Friday, followed by short programs by Alysa Liu and pairs skaters Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea.
Chock and Bates performed and won both of their programs during the team competition Saturday.
Their free dance, a flamenco-styled program set to “Paint It Black” from the dystopian sci-fi western “Westworld,” had the crowd on its feet by the end. Their season-best score of 133.23 points gave a big boost to a U.S. squad in need of some momentum.
The competition wraps up Sunday with free stakes for pairs, women and men. The event starts at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Other big Olympic events on Sunday
The men’s skiathlon event starts at 6:30 a.m. ET, with U.S. cross-country skiers Ben Ogden, Gus Schumacher, JC Schoonmaker.
At 7 a.m. ET, is the men’s & women’s parallel giant slalom finals.
At 8:05 a.m. ET is the biathlon mixed 4x6km relay.
U.S. speed skaters Casey Dawson and Ethan Cepuran compete in the men’s 5000m at 10 a.m. ET.
The men’s singles in luge holds its finals starting at 12:30 p.m. ET, with Americans Jonny Gustafson and Matthew Greiner competing.