Sunday brings some of the biggest action in PyeongChang as a slew of big-name Americans compete.
Let’s begin with a conclusion: figure skating. The team event concludes tonight with the free programs. Airing on NBC primetime, Team USA find themselves in the middle of a medal hunt in the team skate program. Currently sitting in third, the USA will be relying on strong performances by Adam Rippon and 2010 Olympian Mirai Nagasu to close the gap between them and leaders Canada.
Jamie Anderson is also featured in primetime tonight, participating in the women’s slopestyle competition. Windy conditions forced the qualifying rounds to be cancelled, thus all participants were moved to the final. More competition for the defending Olympic champion means that her focus must be razor-sharp to avoid any slip-ups.
Chloe Kim also makes her Olympic debut tonight, featuring in the snowboard halfpipe. Leading our coverage into the late night and early hours, Kim is one of a handful of young guns in the halfpipe ready to make a name for themselves.
Figure Skating
The five remaining teams in the competition are as follows: Canada, Olympic Athletes from Russia, United States, Italy, Japan.
Canada hold a comfortable six point margin at the top ahead of OAR. USA currently sit third at 36 points, nine points behind Canada Each team knows, though, that the margin for error is razor thin, and a perfectly executed technical challenge could be the difference between gold and fourth.
NBCOlympics.com: Team USA advances to free skate in team event; currently in third place
Along with Rippon, Nagasu is tapped to be competing in the women’s free skate, and Alex and Maia Shibutani will be performing again in the ice dance.
Team Event Stream Live Here 8:00p.m. / 5:00p.m. PST
Snowboard Slopestyle
Yesterday’s postponement added some extra intrigue for this competition, as the women’s final field has essentially doubled. While Anderson remains the favorite for gold, her compatriots Anna Gasser and Hailey Langland will give her a run for her money. And let’s not forget Spencer O’Brien, perhaps Anderson’s biggest foe. The Canadian, who was hampered in Sochi with rheumatoid arthritis, will be gunning for a seamless 2018.
And, who knows, with the added pressure of 27 finalists, there’s bound to be at least a couple of wildcards ready to emerge.
Women’s final Stream Live Here 8:00p.m. EST / 5:00p.m. PST
Snowboard Halfpipe
The United States has brought four medal contenders to PyeongChang. Kelly Clark, 34, is the oldest of the bunch (twice the age of Chloe Kim and Maddie Mastro). The three-time Olympic medalist is still a strong competitor, despite the ridiculous young talent that’s making a breakthrough. Two of those names: Chloe Kim and Maddie Mastro. Kim is the bigger name, and the heir-apparent to Clark. Mastro is a consistent performer herself. Last is Kelly Clark, the 21-year old, whose 2014 dreams were cut short because of a shoulder injury. She proved in the X Games that she’s more than capable of pushing Kim.
Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe qualifying Stream Live Here 11:30p.m. EST / 8:30p.m. PST
NBCOlympics.com: Olympic preview: Women’s snowboard halfpipe
Alpine Skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest Olympic slalom gold medalist in 2014, at just 18 years old. Now, 22, the American is firmly at the top of her sport and will surely continue her dominance as she aims for multiple Olympic medals this year.
NBCOlympics.com: How Olympic gold changed (or didn’t change) Mikaela Shiffrin
Women’s Giant Slalom Stream Live Here 8:15p.m. EST / 5:15p.m. PST
Curling Semifinal 1: Canada versus Norway
Norway battled past China in the tie-breaker to set up a semifinal clash versus Canada. The Canadians did fall to Norway in the mixed doubles opener 6-9; however, since then, have won six straight. They’ll be hard to beat.
Stream Live Here 7:05p.m. EST / 4:05p.m. PST
