Olympic 2014 Medal Count: Updated List of Winners from Each Event After Day 7
After seven days in Sochi, the overall medal race is still very tight. The United States and Norway are now tied in total medals at 13 after Noelle Pikus-Pace won a silver in the women's skeleton on Friday.
The Norwegians, who have been dominant in Sochi, did not capture a medal on Friday.
Here's a look at the most updated medal count. Following the table is a closer look at Friday's winners.
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Women's Freestlye Skiing Aerials
- GoldโAlla Tsuper, Belarus
- SilverโMengtao Xu, China
- BronzeโLydia Lassila, Australia
The 34-year-old Ukranian born Tsuper, who represents Belarus, was the surprising winner of the gold medal in aerials.
Her score of 98.1 was enough toย beat defending Olympic champion Lydia Lassila of Australia and two-time Olympic medalist Li Nina of China who didn't medal.ย
ABC journalist Marcus Kelson salutes Tsuper's ability to defy age barriers and scoring one for mothers everywhere.
Women's Skeleton
- GoldโLizzy Yarnold, Great Britain
- SilverโNoelle Pikus-Pace, United States
- BronzeโElena Nikitina, Russia
With a combined time of threeย minutes, 52.89 seconds, Yarnold held off Pikus-Pace to capture the gold in the women's skeleton.
It was the first gold for Great Britain in Sochi. How cool is this image tweeted by Yarnold's sponsor Adidas?ย
Men's Figure Skating: Free Skate Short Program
- GoldโYuzuru Hanyu, Japan
- SilverโPatrick Chan, Canada
- BronzeโDenis Ten, Kazakhstan
The 19-year-old Japanese phenom proved to be the best male figure skater in the free skate short program. The world-record holder didn't smash his own mark, but his performance in Sochi has evoked high praise from experts.
Scott Hamilton, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 for the United States told Jere Longman of The New York Times:
"Heโs so explosive and he does the most difficult things in such a way that you feel itโs simple for him. That gets incredible respect."ย
He'll be just 23 when the 2018 games roll around. You would have to think he has the opportunity to accomplish even more before his Olympic career is finished.
Women's 15-KM Biathlon Individual
- GoldโDarya Domracheva, Belarus
- SilverโSelina Gasparin, Switzerland
- BronzeโNadezhda Skardino, Belarus
One gold medal for Domracheva was not enough. On Friday, the Belarusian captured her second top podium spot of the Sochi games. Fellow Belarusian, Skardino pressed Domracheva with her shooting ability, but it wasn't enough overall.
After the event, Domracheva told Eric Willemsen of the Associated Press (via Canada.com):
โItโs amazing. I got the info during the race that Nadezhda was second. I wasnโt surprised because she is such a good shooter.โ
Though the Belarusian national team isn't among the top medal winners in Sochi, Domracheva has solidified herself as one of the biggest winners of the games.
Men's Super Combined Alpine Skiing
- GoldโSandro Viletta, Switzerland
- SilverโIvica Kostelic, Croatia
- BronzeโChristof Innerhofer, Italy
The United States has been rather disappointing in the Alpine skiing events up to now. With Ted Ligety and Bode Miller in action in the men's super combined, it seemed the Americans would grab a medal in the event.
It wasn't to be.
Instead, Switzerland's Viletta won the first Olympic and major competition medal of his career. The 28-year-old was 14th in the morning downhill standings, but he rallied to earn the gold medal.
Men's 15-KM Cross Country Classic
- GoldโDario Cologna, Switzerland
- SilverโJohan Olsson, Sweden
- BronzeโDaniel Richardsson, Sweden
Joseph Blatter, the president of FIFA, was one of the first to congratulate Cologna and Viletta for their excellence in Sochi.
Cologna was like an NFL offensive lineman on the slopes Friday. Skiing in short sleeves, he captured his second gold medal in Sochi. He pulled away from his two Swedish challengers to win the gold.
He and Domracheva were clearly Friday's biggest winners.
