SPORTS Thursday, February 15, 2018 21 Shaun White competes (Pic courtesy: Xinhua) White bags historic third gold Pyeongchang awful and amazing at the same time. merican Shaun White became the I knew I did a great ride and I was White apologises first snowboarder to win three proud of that and I could walk away AOlympic titles when he sensationally with my head high.” for flag treatment snatched halfpipe gold, denying It was the fourth snowboarding Shaun White has apologised for Japanese teenager Ayumu Hirano gold medal for the United States dragging the American flag and with a superb final run. in Pyeongchang after successes for accidentally stepping on it in the Hirano, 19, landed back-to-back Chloe Kim, Red Gerard and Jamie aftermath of his halfpipe gold 1440s in his second run to overtake Anderson. medal win yesterday. White with a score of 95.25, but the White, known as ‘Flying Tomato’ But his treatment of the flag MEDAL TABLE American replied with an amazing because of his red hair, had overcome was met with an angry reaction 97.75 to win. two heavy crashes in training in the online. Country Gold Silver Bronze Total “I was so overwhelmed with build-up to the Games. “I definitely didn’t mean any 1. 7 2 3 12 happiness,” a tearful White, 31, said. He had 62 stitches in a face wound disrespect, the flag flying on my His victory secured a 100th Winter suffered in a crash in New Zealand in house right now is way up there,” 2. Netherlands 5 4 2 11 Olympic gold for the United States. October after injuring his shoulder he said. “I’ve been through so much to get the previous month. “So sorry for that, but I’m defi- 3. United States 4 1 2 7 here,” added White, whose country is However, he showed he was back to nitely very proud to be part of 4. Norway 3 5 3 11 behind only Norway (121) in terms of his best with only the second perfect Team USA and be an American total Winter Olympic golds. score of 100 in history in January’s US and to be representing everyone 5. Canada 3 4 3 10 “Waiting for my final score was Grand Prix. (BBC) back home.” Ter Mors sets Olympic record

Pyeongchang medals, led early on before finishing utch speed skater Jorien ter Mors ninth. set an Olympic record to win the Ter Mors did not defend her Dgold medal in the women’s 1,000m in 1,500m title after failing to qualify Pyeongchang. because of a persistent knee injury, The 28-year-old clocked one but was delighted to overcome her minute, 13.56 seconds to add to her injury struggles in the 1,000m. 1,500m and team pursuit golds from “I’m really happy. I worked really the 2014 Winter Games. hard,” she said. Japan’s Nao Kodaira, the world “I had a lot of struggles at the record holder, claimed silver with beginning of the season, did some compatriot Miho Takagi in third. changes towards the Olympics and Ireen Wust, the most successful it paid off, so happy to be Olympic Jorien Ter Mors (Pic courtesy: Xinhua) Dutch Olympian of all time with 10 champion. It means a lot.” (BBC)

N. Korean skaters reach pairs final Pyeongchang (L) and pose for pictures (Pic courtesy: Xinhua) orth Korean figure skaters Ryom Eric Frenzel (C), Akito Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik produced N Watabe (R) and a career-best performance to qualify Germany retain Lukas Klapfer compete for the pairs final at the Winter (Pic courtesy: Xinhua) Olympics. The Pyongyang-born pair were doubles gold awarded 69.40 points by the judges Pyeongchang overall. for their short programme routine ermany’s Tobias Wendl They are the third pair to win the performed to the Beatles’ A Day in the Eric Frenzel defends title and Tobias Arlt successfully luge doubles event at consecutive Life. Ryom, 19, and Kim, 25, progress Pyeongchang seconds to finish 4.8 seconds ahead Gdefended their luge doubles title at Olympics after Hans Rinn and to Saturday’s free skate as one of the ermany’s Eric Frenzel defended of Watabe. the Winter Olympics. in 1976 and 1980, 16 qualifiers in Pyeongchang, South his nordic combined title at the ’s Lukas Klapfer claimed The pair clocked one minute and and Andreas and Korea. GWinter Olympics in Pyeongchang bronze, 18.1 seconds behind Frenzel. 31.697 seconds for their two runs to in 2006 and 2010. Kim said fans from the host nation as Japan’s Akito Watabe again took Frenzel beat Watabe to gold by 0.06 win by 0.088 seconds. It was their third Olympic gold cheering offered them “huge support”. silver. seconds at Sochi 2014. Austria’s and Georg overall having claimed two in Sochi “There has been no discomfort Frenzel, who was fifth in the normal Austrian Franz-Josef Rehrl began Fischler took the silver medal ahead four years ago after also winning and now that we have competed, [we hill ski jump, broke clear on the final the cross country, which featured of Germany’s and the inaugural team relay. could see] how strong our Korean incline on the last lap of the cross- a staggered start according to the . Penz and Fischler were the only people can be when we are together,” country section. ski jump results, with a 15-second Wendl and Arlt posted the fastest other pair to break 46 seconds for he said. “We are one people sharing The 29-year-old completed the advantage over Norway’s Jarl Magnus time in each run, with their opening both their runs in Pyeongchang. the same bloodline.” 10km course in 24 minutes 51.4 Riiber after a leap of 112m. (BBC) time of 45.820 seconds the best (BBC)