Medal Count 2014 Olympics: Updated Day 12 Tally and Day 13 Storylines to Watch
The 2014 Winter Olympics are rolling right along, and we have nearly reached the two-week mark since competition officially began in Sochi on Feb. 7.
Since then, a number of medal sets have been doled out to athletes from all around the world for their incredible feats in a variety of sports and disciplines.
With less than a week of Olympic events left on tap, the competition for most overall medals and most gold medals is in full swing. A handful of nations have emerged as legit contenders to win these categories, which you can see in the latest tally below.
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Take a look at the medal tracker then check out some of the events that have helped shape the standings on Day 12. That will be followed by a quick preview and some storylines to watch on Day 13.
Medal Tracker
Notable Day 12 Events: Cross-Country, Team Sprint Finals
| 1 | Finland | 23:14.89 |
| 2 | Russia | 23:15.86 |
| 3 | Sweden | 23:30.01 |
| 1 | Norway | 16:04.05 |
| 2 | Finland | 16:13.14 |
| 3 | Sweden | 16:23.82 |
The cross-country finals for both the men and women’s team classical took place Wednesday, and these events provided fans with immensely exciting races.
The men’s race was much closer than the women’s, as Team Finland was able to edge the host Russians by less than a second. Sweden earned a bronze with a respectable showing on the day.
Infostrada Sports noted this is the first gold medal Finland has won in the Winter Olympics since 2002:
Give credit to Iivo Niskanen and Sami Jauhojarvi for that first-place performance, as they skied immensely well and fought off a strong push from crowd favorites Maxim Vylegzhanin and Nikita Kriukov with the medal on the line.
Norway took home the gold in the ladies’ competition, crossing the finish line just under 10 seconds ahead of second-place Finland. Sweden again earned a bronze here with a great outing.
Marit Bjoergen and Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg were simply unstoppable, as second-place finishers Kerttu Niskanen and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen had no chance of catching them at the end of the race.
Team USA was not able to medal in either event, which is disappointing considering Erik Bjornsen was quite successful during his side’s semifinal run. He spoke with Kevin Tresolini of USA Today (h/t NBC) prior to the final:
""I saw the places in front of me and I figured if everything went great I could catch a few. I was able to catch two, which I was happy about, and maybe put in some time on that next group of people."
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Bjornsen and partner Simeon Hamilton weren’t able to push ahead and settled for eighth place in the finals.
Day 13 Preview and Storylines
Day 13 of the 2014 Winter Olympics promises to be one of the most exciting slates of action Sochi will provide.
There will be medal events in two women’s team sports, including curling—with Canada playing Sweden for the gold and Great Britain and Switzerland matching up in the bronze medal match—and ice hockey as Team USA clashes with Canada for the gold, while Sweden and Switzerland compete for the bronze.
There will also be medals awarded for freestyle skiing (men’s ski cross, ladies' ski halfpipe) and Nordic combined (team large hill—cross-country).
The most notable medal on the line tomorrow will be in figure skating, as the women who advance after Wednesday’s short program will go for the gold during the free skating portion of the competition. That brings us to the most intriguing subplot of Day 13:
Biggest Storyline: Who Will Win the Women’s Figure Skating Finale?
Julia Lipnitskaia, the 15-year-old sensation from Russia, and defending gold medalist Yuna Kim, of South Korea, are the two favorites to emerge at the top of the podium at the end of the women’s figure skating event.
The younger competitor has the advantage of competing in the comforts of her home country, while the 23-year-old defending champion has experience and proven ability on her side.
Not only has Kim won Olympic gold, but she has also claimed a gold at the 2013 World Championships in London and won a plethora of other major events.
Lipnitskaia has a gold stemming from the team event, but her only notable achievement at the individual level is gold at the 2014 European Championships in Budapest.
It’s doubtful that any other competitor is able to finish with either a gold or silver medal, leaving the rest of the field—such as Team USA’s Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner—to compete for the bronze.
Make sure you tune in to watch this epic competition between the two favorites and the rest of the world competing for a third-place finish.
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