21/02/2018 Winter Olympics Extra

Hello and welcome to Day 12

of the Winter Olympics.

Later in the programme we'll see

all the thrills and spills

of the Men's Ski Cross.

But after all the drama

of the Free Dance yesterday,

it's the turn of the women today.

They're in action in

the short programme.

Robin Cousins and Kat Downes can

talk us through the names

in the frame for gold.

I am most excited for the women. We

have had the queen of the ice,

untouchable for two years.

She has

until an injury took her out of a

couple of major competitions and she

lost her title to the upstart, Alina

said Ita Vaea.

She has been outdone

by her own training partner.

The

current world champion. European

champion coming out of the junior

events and will have to be one of

the favourites for the Olympic gold.

This is something across-the-board

with the disciplines, at the top

level in juniors, Junior Grand Prix

and junior world tempi and chips,

the medallists are doing identical

material than those people at the

European and World Championships are

doing. To them, I am doing the exact

same material but a minute and a

half more to do it with.

Russian

against Russian, one of them will

get the gold?

You would think so,

but we have the fantastic result

from two Canadians who got on the

podium. They have had an up-and-down

season. It is who delivers all the

material on the night. Can you do

the triple, triple combinations. Can

you do them beautifully and have a

performance that connected not only

the audience, but the judges? That

will be the interesting thing.

Everybody is great, they are all

prepared. But then somebody comes

along, comes back into the skating

world in quite a big way, got the

bronze medal at the European

Championships, but could be the

grand dame and the beautician

amongst all these jumping beans to

upset the apple cart.

I would like

to see Medvedev to win the gold

medal. And like to say, I am still

in charge here. Let's had to the Ice

Arena where Kat Downes and Robin

Cousins are in the commentary box.

Japanese, making her debut on the

senior circuit.

senior circuit. Sakamoto, yet to

come for Japan. This is their number

two skater.

Opening with a beautiful laid-back

spin. Bronze medallist at last you's

junior World Championships.

Triple flip, triple toe loop.

Absolutely glorious.

Triple loop.

It was gold and silver for the

Japanese man and women have their

work cut out to that success. But

that was a brilliant start from

Sakamoto.

17 years old and the

quality of the elements is

fantastic. No question for the

rotations on any of the jumps. Level

falls for every element.

It it is a

new season's bus. That is a lead of

almost

almost nine points.

What have you got for us today. She

has made the headlines in the USA

after becoming the first American

woman to land a triple axel at the

Olympics. She has been warming up

the triple axel for this short

programme, does she have the guts to

go for it.

Setting it up now... That is a

shame. She got the rotation, so she

will get the credit, but I have a

feeling that will be a deduction as

well.

well. Now, hold it together for the

triple flip, triple toe combination.

Triple flip... Triple toe loop.

Lovely, well done.

Held the landing, but a little

scratchy on the triple loop.

No risk and no reward. Mirai Nagasu

went for the triple axel. Didn't

quite work out.

Even with the

mistake, she still gets more points

for it than she would have if she

had just done the double.

Base score but the triple axel, 8.50

with one deduction. Mirai Nagasu

still got 5.5 and it was so close.

She went for it.

She went for it.

A new season's

best. She slots into second place

behind Sakamoto of Japan. It is off

to the practice rink for Mirai

Nagasu, to see if she can policy up

the triple axel for the long

programme. The Korean flags are

flying once again that the Korean

number two. Skated this programme in

the team event, Choi Dabin. She put

in a lovely performance on the

opening day of competition.

Triple Lutz, triple toe loop.

Exactly the start she would have

wanted.

Triple flip. Light, easy. Final

jump, double axel.

Yes. That's the way to do it.

Another cool neat job by Choi Dabin.

Thriving in this atmosphere at her

home Olympics.

Thought it would have

been plus twos. It's good enough

because they have all pluses.

Skating skills, transition

performance, composition,

interpretation. So the components in

the mid to high sevens. Again, I

would have expected possibly to see

something into the eights somewhere.

67.77. She slots in just behind

Gabrielle Daleman of Canada. Just a

point in it. Choi Dabin in third

position and the crowd like that

result.

result. Back-to-back world titles

and back-to-back European titles and

ever since she made her mark on the

senior circuit, she has been

favourite for this Olympic title

too. But she was pipped to the

European crown by her 15-year-old

country woman, Alina Zagitova. She

is out to maintain her top spot.

Evgenia

Evgenia Medvedeva is out to get the

Crown she must rightfully believe is

hers.

The jumping passes. Triple flip,

triple toe loop.

There's the triple loop.

Beautiful layback to finish.

It's

perfection again. I've never seen

this girl put a foot wrong.

She

doubled the potential score with

grades of execution from the judges

in the step sequence.

That signature

jump style, her arm up above her

head.

Which orginally used to be a

feature and it used to give you

extra points. But now everybody's

doing it so it's no longer special.

81.61 then. It's a new world record.

Away.

And Evgenia Medvedeva gets a

first foot on the top of the podium

-- yeah. New world record score.

First position in qualifying. It has

to be utter brilliance that beats

that.

that. Satoko Miyahara the Japanese

national champion. She has been

struggling with injury though this

season. Only started jumping again

in October. But we saw her skate

absolutely beautifully in the Team

event. Japan finishing then in fifth

position.

Triple Lutz, triple toe loop. That

is what she wanted. That's what she

got. Rotates so fast.

Beautiful triple loop.

Nice and light and easy in the

triple Axel. How's that for a

laidback position.

Absolutely beautiful from Satoko

Miyahara. Japan already have a

skater in the top three, Kaori

Sakamoto performing beautifully

earlier on.

Triple Lutz. Sometimes

she will get elements downgraded,

but I think today she was fully

rotated. Yes, she is.

75.94. A new

season's best for Satoko Miyahara.

She slots into second place behind

Evgenia Medvedeva. The Japanese in

the mix then when it comes to

Friday's Free Dance.

Kaetlyn Osmond then, part of the

Canadian team that won the gold in

the Team event. She won Team Silver

in Sochi.

in Sochi. World Silver-medallists.

No mistakes in the Team event. She

will want and need to go absolutely

clean here with every element if she

wants to stake a claim for a

potential podium spot. That will

start with the combination. Triple

flip, triple toe loop. That's a

cracker are.

-- cracker.

That's the triple Lutz.

And the double Axel.

Kaetlyn Osmond more like the

performance that won her a world

silver medal last year.

Absolutely.

Beautiful and light on the triple

flip. Easy rotation. Leg back. Nice

running edge out. Sometimes get an

edge cut on the take-off of the

Lutz, but not today.

New season's

best then for Kaetlyn Osmond. 8. 87.

She is into second position behind

Evgenia Medvedeva. A world record

score. That will take some beating.

Second for Kaetlyn Osmond. In a

brilliant position going into the

Free Skate on Friday.

Free Skate on Friday. So 15 years

old. The one to watch at these

Games. Caused that massive upset at

the Europeans and beat Medvedeva to

take the title. Alina Zagitova the

brightest new star in women's figure

skating, looking to outshine

Medvedeva, once again, and steal

gold.

She's unbeaten since becoming

Junior World Champion.

She has the hardest combination of

all of the ladies. Triple Lutz,

triple loop jump and that was

absolutely fantastic.

And there's the triple flip.

And the double Axel.

Absolutely glorious.

She has been

doing it since she was a junior. She

doesn't have quite the skating

component score Evgenia Medvedeva

will have. She will slot nicely into

second place. That is what she will

need to do in the free programme

with a few more jumper elements to

get the score and beat Evgenia

Medvedeva, tactically and get those

points she won't get from the

components. Probably isn't expected

to be ahead of her in this short

programme for that very reason. But

goodness me, what one can do, the

other says, I can do better than

that.

that.

82.92 and that is Medvedeva's

world record already broken. It

stored for all of five minutes.

stored for all of five minutes. She

has said, I will get your world

record. She has pushed Medvedeva

into second.

into second.

The coach's face, she

will be wondering how she will have

to cope with those two ladies on a

day off, keep them calm and keep

them focused.

This competition is

heating up in just the right way.

Absolutely, and it is not over yet.

We have Friday to come and I cannot

wait to see them go head-to-head.

Carolina Kostner, the grand dame of

the competition. What have you got?

Combination triple flip and double

toe loop. She wanted the triple but

new the flip didn't land exactly had

she needed it. So played safe and

played smart.

Hand down on the triple loop.

Easy double axel.

Lovely, classical skating but it is

very difficult to follow a world

record.

Body rotating around to her

right. Really not ready to take off

for the triple. So that was smart.

Leaning forward, she will be on the

toe pick on the landing and there is

the hand going down. You are giving

away small points, but collectively,

they add up.

they add up.

73.15 for Carolina

Kostner and she will have to fight

if she wants to make it onto the

podium, just like she did with the

bronze medal four years ago in

Sochi. Canada's Kaetlyn Osmond in

the bronze medal position but it is

a Russian head-to-head the gold with

FT Na Medford, but then Alina

Zagitova came out and smashed it.

And we'll see the Women's

Free Skate on Friday.

From the grace and beauty

of the figure skating to almost

the exact opposite at the Men's Ski

Cross.

This event is brutal.

Expect drama, falls and some very,

very tight finishes.

Graham Bell is your commentator.

Ski cross is nothing without a

little bit of luck. Here we go.

The

bigger they are, the harder they

fall.

This is going to get exciting.

COMMENTATOR: the first of our

quarterfinals approach the gate.

quarterfinals approach the gate. The

blue bib of Mark Bishop Berger

closest to us.

closest to us.

Pressure on the tips

of the skis, you can see them

bending. They are out under way.

Now

can Mac, so close.

can Mac, so close. Marc

Bischofberger, probably has the best

line. Brady Leman is right on his

shoulder.

shoulder. Watch the red bib on the

inside.

Bit of a speed check, just

enough to keep it there. Too much

from Marc Bischofberger.

from Marc Bischofberger. Through the

compression and at the moment it is

Alex Fiva in red, sitting back as

Marc Bischofberger manages to hold

on, just keeping in touch with Brady

Leman.

Brady Leman and broke his leg

just before the Vancouver games and

was fourth in Sochi. Looking for

redemption. Alex Fiva... He has

gone.

What will happen? Looks like

Alex Fiva crashed and

Alex Fiva crashed and then they had

to swerve to avoid him. He missed

the gate.

Neither of them were in

the mix anyway. It is Brady Leman

and the Canadian who makes it

through comfortably and then the

World Cup standing's leader, Marc

Bischofberger, who comes through in

second.

Both of them are OK. Brady

Leman, is flying on this course. You

can see that Kermit the frog move

they do, their knees are either side

of their chest.

Confirmation of the

first of our quarterfinals, Brady

Leman and Marc Bischofberger advance

to the semifinals. Thomas Zangerl of

Austria is in the nearest lane.

Look how pulling themselves up. They

are out and underway.

Filip Flisar has got the speed.

That

has cost Zangerl a little bit. The

battle for second and third is going

to be tight. It is Filip Flisar in

the league and he's skiing well, the

world champion from 2015.

world champion from 2015. Filip

Flisar, leading from the front. The

Swiss is true and the Austrian. What

can Zangerl do? He is catching up

and overtaking Filip Flisar.

He is dragging behind Armin

Niederer.

Niederer.

Safely through the Armin

Niederer and a great overtaking move

in the end, but Filip Flisar looked

supreme but let the Swiss through,

maybe took his eye off the ball.

It

is the top two that go through.

Filip Flisar was his own worst

enemy, he didn't soak up the John

Godina. Then he pulled on the

bullfrog to make sure Zangerl didn't

come past him.

Those are the four who have gone

through to the first of the

semifinals.

semifinals. Kevin Drury of Canada is

the fastest qualifier. Then Robert

Winkler, the Austrian. Watch out for

Arnaud Bovolenta.

Arnaud Bovolenta. The blue bib of

Bovolenta, closest to us. The

Russian, I think he was gifted a

place. He came through after the

take out crash. Be interesting if he

can stay in touch here.

can stay in touch here. I think this

is about Kevin Drury. It is Robert

Winkler out in front.

Bovolenta has

speed in this section.

He landed on

the back of the local. It is Kevin

Drury in the red bib out in front,

leading.

Bit of a speed check from

Bovolenta.

Also from Robert Drury as

well. Robert Drury has set himself

up nicely through the chicane.

Robert Winkler struggling to keep up

with the Frenchman, Bovolenta in

second place.

second place.

The big threat to

Bovolenta in second place is

Denshchikov, the Russian. This race

has gone to form, barring any

crashes on these final big kickers.

Kevin Drury of Canada is leading.

Bovolenta France's in second place

and Denshchikov over the final jump.

Watch at the back, Bovolenta in

yellow inside Robert Winkler.

yellow inside Robert Winkler.

I

think he is just in the league, just

the head as he went through.

Robert

Drury did show a clean set of

fields. Whether he can do that in

the semifinals, remains to be seen.

Denshchikov and Robert Drury are

out. Onto the last of our

quarterfinals.

Jean Frederic Chapuis. He is in

green.

Francois Place has had a problem, he

is out of the race. The Jean

Frederic Chapuis and Duncan,

shoulder to shoulder.

He has opened

the door for Sergey Ridzik to come

through. He has made a move and has

overtaken the Olympic champion. Gone

really wide.

really wide. Jean Frederic Chapuis

coming round on the outside.

Looking

down every door, Jean Frederic

Chapuis. Not enough speed to make

the move.

He is slipstreaming.

Sergey Ridzik shuts the door and

comes through. Could this be a

massive shock? It is all four of

them as they come through. Sergey

Ridzik moving ahead of David Duncan.

They come over the last jump. It is

the Russian and the Canadian through

and Francois Place and Jean Frederic

Chapuis are out. The reigning

Olympic champion is out in the

quarterfinals. That was a massive

shock. David Duncan looked almost

criminally relaxed. He was killing

speed and taking the line choice he

wanted. Seemingly no one was getting

close. Jean Frederic Chapuis looking

for any sprays either side of Sergey

Ridzik.

The gold medal will go to someone

new here. Confirmation. Sergey

Ridzik and Dave Duncan progress.

Back up to the top. In the

Back up to the top. In the red bib

we have Nye nigh, Filip Flisar and

Barry Bennell and Marc

Bischofberger.

Bischofberger. Niederer the smartest

racer. Pulled himself through the

pack into the lead.

Two Swiss,

someone Slovenian and Canadian.

Marc

Bischofberger, out in front on the

inside. Incredible. Niederer at the

back. Flisar in third. The man in

blue in the second. Somehow Marc

Bischofberger in the yellow who is

blasted out in front.

Blasted

through. I think that maybe Flisar

and Leman cancelled each other out.

Fighting too much against each other

and let the Swiss through. No, he's

made a mistake. He will open the

door now. He's opened the door.

Brady Leman has taken advantage.

Fighting to find a way in behind

Filip Flisar. Look at it, Marc

Bischofberger letting good.

Bischofberger coming back.

A great

line.

Neither is making a move on

Flisar.

Niederer from fourth. Can he

do what he did before? Will he come

right back to the front of the pack.

No, Brady Leman to lose here. In the

lead, heading towards the last

kicker. It's close. He punches it

forward. Brady Leman goes forward.

Into the Olympic final again. Fourth

place last time round in Sochi. What

can he do now.

This is where we see

that mistake from Marc

Bischofberger.

Inside ski lent into

the turn too much. That opened the

door.

He knows he's gone in there.

Leman can ski that cleanly he will

carry more speed. That is when he

made his move.

Brilliant racing.

If

it wasn't for the mistake from

Bischofberger, then Bischofberger

would have taken that win. It

doesn't matter. He's through and

qualified through to the finals.

Make a mistake like that in the

final you could end up out of the

medals. Back up to the top for the

second of our semi-finals. The

Russian in there, Sergey Ridzik,

Kevin Drury, Arnaud Bovolenta. I

think the last Frenchman left in the

mix and then Dave Duncan the third

and final Canadian.

Dave Duncan 35

years old, broke his collar bone

ahead of the Olympics in Vancouver.

Bovolenta the beast in the lane

nearest to us. Hasn't been starting

that quickly. Does he make his

presence felt. He's done the same

thing.

Made a hash brown of it

there.

Ridzik cutting across both of

the Canadians. Ridzik keen to cut

out the two Canadians. Dave Duncan

in the yellow bib and Kevin Drury in

the green going outside. Bovolenta

is back in the mix.

Flailing in last

place right now.

The battle between

the two Canadians for second and

third. Those are the qualifying

spot. Dave Duncan in the yellow bib

in second. One ski. They race round.

Dave Duncan has gone wide. Has he

let his team-mate through? Let him

through. Ridzik into second.

Bovolenta is back in the mix again

after all of these mistakes.

Bovolenta in third. Right on the

tails of Ridzik.

Dave Duncan was

hoping over the tails of Bovolenta's

skis in fourth. Battle for second

appears to be Ridzik at the moment.

Ridzik clear of Bovolenta. This is

the last jump. Kevin Drury out in

front. Ridzik in second. Bovolenta

in third. Dave Duncan slipping all

the way down to fourth. What a race.

So many switches through the first

two-thirds of that race.

two-thirds of that race.

Mistake by

Bovolenta on this. He has to start

polling to get going again. What

does he do, absorbs it too early.

Absorbed it too early.

Timing.

That's Ridzik' big move on the

outside. Look, there so, so close.

Dave Duncan actually shaves a bit of

speed to make sure he doesn't take

down Brady Leman.

It's looking like

it will be a real Humdinger. We've

got two Canadians through, Kevin

Drury and Brady Leman from the first

heat.

The Russian and the Swiss.

Bischofberger is looking very strong

as well. Bischofberger if he gets

out in front could take gold. He's

got two Canadians to worry about,

Kevin Drury and watch out for Sergey

Ridzik.

We move back up to the top.

It's time to hand out the medals.

This is going to be very, very

close. Lining up in the gates.

Bischofberger, as you said, Graham,

has taken out three World Cup

victories this year. He leads the

World Cup standings. He looked less

than convincing in the early rounds.

He has certainly come to the fore

now. Bischofberger is in the lane

closest to the camera.

The mechanic

from Switzerland. Up against the

Olympic Athlete from Russia, Sergey

Ridzik. He has raced very well. The

quickest of the races in the seeding

round. There is Brady Leman, his

third chance, fourth agonisingly in

Sochi four years ago.

In the green

bib on the outside, unusually opting

to choose the outside lane is Kevin

Drury. The Canadians so, so fast.

The Russian so clever. Bischofberger

so wildy. They are under starter's

orders.

This drop off start.

Pressure on the gate. Pressure on

the skis. They're off. They are

under way. Brady Leman looking good

at the start. The Russian is ahead.

The Canadians are miles back as

Bischofberger and Ridzik race out in

front. Now there's a lot of work to

be done by the Canadians. Brady

Leman look at that move.

Oh, it's

gone. It's gone for the Russia. Who

can get up fastest.

Kevin Drury and

Ridzik.

He's lost his ski. Leman is

guaranteed a medal if he can stay on

his feet. He has to overtake.

Bischofberger is in silver medal

position chasing down Brady Leman in

first. Can Ridzik get up and claim

the bronze. Will it be the Canadian.

Ridzik had both skis on. Focussing

on the front of the race. Incredible

from Brady Leman. Eight years ago he

broke his leg ahead of the Winter

Olympic Games. Four years ago placed

agonisingly fourth. Losing time.

This could be good for the Canadian.

Bischofberger slip streaming now.

Ridzik.

Bronze medal position. Over

the last jump.

That's it. Gold

medal, finally, for Brady Leman. An

incredible performance.

It is's

silver for Marc Bischofberger. The

Swiss leader of the World Cup. He

mansion to turn that form on the

World Cup into a medal here. Then

it's Sergey Ridzik, the Russian,

working his way through.

Unfortunately for Kevin Drury, the

Canadian who convincingly led every

single one of his races up to this

point, who is taken out.

I think he

went. I think it was Kevin Drury

that went down. We will have to see

the crash again. These are the

medallists. Look what it means to

Brady Leman. It has taken him so

long to get there. To get on to an

Olympic podium and top spot.

Brilliant to see Kevin Drury skiing

down. We didn't want to see another

injury here. It has been a brutal,

absolutely brutal day of racing here

at the Men's Ski Cross. A final

worthy of each of these competitors.

Yes, these are the Gladiators of

snowsports. They really are.

Everything on the line. Total risk.

No sense of self preservation.

No

quarter given at any stage. Marc

Bischofberger, silver-medallist, in

front of that crew of travelling

Swiss fans. In bronze medal position

the first man to peel himself back

up off the snow, the Russian Sergey

Ridzik. Phenomenal performance from

him throughout the day and then

Kevin Drury, heartbreakingly, just

outside the medals in fourth

position. Bischofberger was right

over the front of his skis.

Beautifully positioned.

The speed

that Brady Leman gets coming into

here. It was a definite fall.

Kevin

Drury. Yeah. Kevin Drury went down

first. Basically, took rid rid out

at the knees.

If it had gone the

other way, then it probably would

have been a protest.

Look at that.

That is a man on his way up to a

bronze. He knew what was at stake.

I

think he would have been awarded the

bronze anyway, even if he hadn't

crossed the line third because he

was taken out, definitely taken out

by the Canadian crashing in front of

him.

Brady Leman, soaking up these

jumps. Down into the finish area.

Bischofberger, so close he could

nearly touch Leman. He takes the

silver. It's Ridzik for bronze.

nearly touch Leman. He takes the

silver. It's Ridzik for bronze.

Olympic gold must feel incredible.

Given where you have come from four

years ago it must be that much more

special kchl you quite contemplate

what you have achieved today?

No.

Not at all yet. It's... It's still

so crazy I can't believe it came

together today. In our sport there

is so much emphasis on the Games it.

It comes around four years. Until

ski cross it's a roll of the dice

hard to be consistent. To put it

together on the biggest day is just

unbelievable. Totally unbelievable.

It's brutal conditions out there

that you have to go through. You

battled back from a fair few

injuries. Can you sum up what it

means to get the success like that

today?

Yeah. It especially for me I

had a crash yesterday in the

training and I felt not good. This

morning I wake up and I felt like a

grandpa. I have to warm up and

getting ready. It gets better and

better. Then race. I feel good and I

bring it down. Now I'm

silver-medallists. It's crazy.

That's all from us for now,

but I'll be back at midnight over

on BBC One with live coverage

of the Men's Slalom.

Brit Dave Ryding is in action and

has an outside chance of a medal.

See you then.

COMMENTATOR: Dave Ryding from Great

Britain holding his nerve. Riding

and looking in great shape. He's

second! That's sensational. Dave The

Rock the Ryding has made skiing

history. What a ski from Dave

Ryding.