FIGURE SKATING —We may have had ridiculous expectations, but come on, it was Canada’s golden boy—no, not Sidney Crosby. Patrick Chan took the silver medal, missing out on the gold by less than five points in the men’s free program on Saturday. This was a disappointing result for some as Chan is the three-time defending world champion. But let’s be real, 19-year-old Japanese gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu is a magician. He should have to wear hockey skates. In all seriousness, this might have been Chan’s last chance at an Olympic gold—he will be 27 years old in 2018—which is honestly devastating. No matter what happens, you will always be in our hearts, PChiddy.
SPEED SKATING—We all love our unlikely heroes, and Canada has found one in Sochi. Denny Morrison won his second medal of the Games on Saturday, earning a bronze medal in the 1500m race at Adler Arena. The 28-year-old wasn’t expected to do much damage in Sochi, considering there were questions about whether he would even qualify for the Canadian team at the time trials in January. Having added to his silver medal in the 1000m earlier in the week, Morrison has tied Gaétan Boucher as the most decorated Canadian male long track speed skater in history with four Olympic medals. He will inevitably break Boucher’s record when he participates in the team pursuit beginning on Feb. 21, because Canada’s skater is always open for business and a grand slam is within his reach.
ALPINE SKIING—Did you know Canada was in the middle of a 20-year Olympic medal drought in men’s alpine skiing? Not anymore as Jan Hudec snapped the streak on Sunday, tying for bronze in the men’s Super-G event. Hudec’s 1:18.67 time was identical to that of popular American skier Bode Miller. Speaking of unlikely heroes, Hudec’s previous top result at an Olympic event was 21st place in the downhill. What I’m trying to say is that anyone who had money on Hudec should buy a lottery ticket immediately.
SNOWBOARD CROSS—Every four years the Winter Olympics brings with it a multitude of obscure sports, but snowboard cross is definitely the most intense. Dominique Maltais—who finished 20th in the event at the Vancouver Games—bounced back by claiming a silver medal on Sunday—the second Olympic medal of her career. She beat out American favourite Lindsey Jacobellis in a wild semifinal, after Jacobellis crashed while in the lead. Maltais cruised in the finals, finishing behind Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic. Somehow, Maltais is still tearing up snowboard cross circuits at age 33, adding the silver medal to her three consecutive Crystal Globes as World Cup champion. I hope someone will give me a medal for just being able to stand on a snowboard when I’m 33.
