Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: Team USA Highlights for Day 10
There were no Monday blues for Team USA in Sochi. In fact, it was a great day to be an American.
History was made, favorites dominated, streaks were broken and some young athletes gave us a reason to look forward to the future as well.
Here's your chance to relive the guts and the glories of Day 10.
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Greatest Golden Moment
It was the only golden moment of the day for the U.S. team, but boy, was it a big one.
Four years after taking the silver in Vancouver, Meryl Davis and Charlie White finally made it onto the top spot of the Olympic podium by overtaking their rivals, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, in the ice dancing competition.
Their free skate was simply sensational, and the judges rewarded it with a world-record 116.63.
While the other U.S. gold-medal favorites sharing surnames with the duo—Shani Davis and Shaun White—failed to come through in Sochi, this dancing couplet dazzled on its way to the first-ever U.S. Olympic gold in ice dancing.
Everyone on Team USA was ecstatic over their victory:
Take a bow, Meryl and Charlie. You made everyone back home very proud.
Most Disappointing "Thriller"
At the national championships in Boston, the sibling duo of Maia and Alex Shibutani brought down the house with their free skate to a Michael Jackson medley.
In Sochi, it didn't go as well. As Nick McCarvel of NBCOlympics.com pointed out, it was just flat:
They scored a 90.70, which put them in 10th place in the event and ninth overall. Certainly not bad for an Olympic debut, but it just seemed like they could have built on the success of Boston and performed better.
Ice-Dancing Team of the Future
While Davis and White dominated and the Shibutanis slightly disappointed, Madison Chock and Evan Bates gave Americans a big reason to look forward to the 2018 Games.
Their free skate to Les Mis captivated the audience and the announcers, and they earned high praise from Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir in the NBC Sports Network booth.
They finished the competition in eighth place. Considering they joined forces only two and a half years ago, the sky seems to be the limit for the pair.
Most Dominating Performance
That would be the U.S. women's hockey team, who absolutely crushed Sweden, 6-1, in the semifinals to book its expected spot in the gold-medal match against Canada on Thursday.
It outshot the Swedes, 70-9, and looks to be in red-hot form heading into the championship match against their long-standing northern rivals.
Most Historic Sled
Steven Holcomb is the man for U.S. bobsledding.
Four years after ending a 62-year-long medal drought for the U.S. in four-man bobsled, he snapped an equally long drought in the two-man bobsled by winning the bronze in Sochi with his brakeman, Steve Langton.
Afterward, it was pure relief for Holcomb. "Man, thank God," he told The Associated Press. "There was a lot of pressure on me there."
Brightest Olympic Debut
Freestyle skiing aerials doesn't get much attention in America, but if Mac Bohonnon continues his meteoric rise, it will soon.
At just 18 years of age, Bohonnon made it to the aerials final and finished in fifth place. He was the youngest competitor in the field, and the only American in the aerials competition in Sochi.
We will certainly be seeing more of him down the road.
Biggest "Fangirl"
"I finally got a picture with Yuna!!!! #fangirling
"
That would be Gracie Gold, the national champion in figure skating, who was thrilled to get her picture taken with gold-medal favorite Kim Yuna. On Wednesday, Gold will have to transition from "fangirl" to competitor as the ladies finally take the ice in figure skating.
Best Family Portrait
"Don't know what I would do without these two #family
"
Speedskater Heather Richardson certainly has had a disappointing time in Sochi, but it's good to see that she's still been able to enjoy the experience with her family.
Best Shout-out
The Shib Sibs might have been a bit off in their free skate on Monday, but their Sunday short program to Michael Buble's music was great. The crooner himself even took notice!
Tuesday's Top Talents
Finally, Lolo Jones and the rest of the U.S. women will take the track in bobsled on Tuesday to race their first two heats. Medals will be awarded on Wednesday.
David Wise will be the American to watch in men's freestyle skiing halfpipe, as he's expected to make it to the podium.
And, at long last, Mikaela Shiffrin will make her Olympic debut in the giant slalom.
Hopefully, Team USA will be able to keep this fantastic streak going.
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