February 17 Olympic Journal: Two Silver Medals For U.S. Despite Disappointing Performance By Amber Glenn In Figure Skating
February 17 saw yet more great Olympic moments, though it was not a particularly good day for the American team. The United States won a silver medal in both the team pursuit in speedskating and the men’s freestyle skiing Big Air competition. However, the short program in women’s figure skating was not good.
The results on February 17 were not that good for Team USA. Although they won a silver medal in the men’s team pursuit in speed skating, they were favored to win gold. They won a silver medal in the freestyle skiing Big Air competition, but had 3 skiers in the 12 who competed in the final.
They have the third-place skater after the short program in Women’s figure skating, but were thought to sweep the medals in that event. Do you think the American team will be able to turn things around on February 18?
February 17 Medal Table
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Norway | 14 | 8 | 9 |
| Italy | 9 | 4 | 11 |
| United States | 6 | 10 | 5 |
| Netherlands | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Germany | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Austria | 5 | 8 | 4 |
| France | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| Sweden | 5 | 5 | 2 |
American Men Earn Silver Medal in Speedskating
On February 17, the American men won a silver medal in the men’s speed skating team pursuit event. They are the world record holders and were heavily favored to win the gold medal in this event. However, Italy, which skated great, won the gold medal. Maybe they received a boost from the host nation.
In the women’s event, the United States team made it to the semifinals. They were one of only four teams to do so. However, they were the fourth seed and lost in the first semifinal round. They then lost the bronze medal match as well. Thus, they were the only team among the four that did not win a medal.
Silver Medal in Freestyle Skiing Big Air
Mac Forehand from the United States won the silver medal in the snow in the Men’s freestyle skiing big air competition on February 17. He scored 193.25 points. He finished behind Tormod Frostad from Norway with a total score of 195.50. Matej Svancer from Austria scored 191.25 points and won the bronze medal.
This was a good win for the United States; they had three competitors who could have won a medal. However, these skiers finished just off the podium. Konnor Ralph and Troy Podmilsak also made the cut. Podmilsak finished fourth with a final score of 184.50, while Ralph came in fifth with 178.00 total points.
Disaster for the United States in Figure Skating
17-year-old Ami Nakai of Japan finished on top of the women’s short program on Tuesday. After nailing her signature triple axel jump, Nakai set a personal best to defeat the previous two world champions, Alysa Liu of the United States and Kaori Sakamoto of Japan. They were in second and third place.
This was not a good result for the United States, which had three skaters all capable of winning a medal. Gold medal-favorite and three-time American Champion Amber Glenn “popped” the final jump in her program, resulting in zero points for the element and a devastating 13th place finish after the short program.
Popped means she pulled out of the triple jump after finishing only two revolutions. Isabeau Levito, the third American skater, finished in eighth place after a strong Olympic debut in her mother’s native Milan.
Parting Shots
February 17 was not a very good day for the United States at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. They finished a disappointing second in the Men’s speedskating pursuit and made the semifinals in the women’s event, but did not win a medal.
The United States won a silver medal in the Men’s Freestyle skiing Big Air competition, but also finished fourth and fifth. The American favorite for the podium in women’s speed skating failed to complete a jump and is in thirteenth place after the short program.
