PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of 鈥� Sofia Goggia refused to let Lindsey Vonn catch her. Or, anyone else.
The Italian skier won the women鈥檚 downhill Wednesday, holding off Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway by 0.09 seconds and Vonn by 0.47 seconds.
鈥淚 was really focused 鈥� I moved like a samurai,鈥� Goggia said. 鈥淯sually, I鈥檓 really chaotic, but I wanted to take in every little detail, every particular in the morning. I believed in myself. And then what counts, counts.鈥�
Speaking of counting, Marit Bjoergen has had to do plenty of it during her Olympic career. She became the most-decorated Winter Olympian of all time with 14 career medals, getting the latest when Norway won the bronze in the women鈥檚 team sprint in cross-country skiing .
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e still an athlete you just have focus on other races,鈥� Bjoergen said. 鈥淚 think I鈥檒l need to have time to myself and look behind me and look how I鈥檝e been able to do this. It鈥檚 still hard to understand it when I鈥檓 standing here.鈥�
While Bjoergen鈥檚 milestone was the highlight, the United States鈥� victory in the event was its first Olympic gold in women鈥檚 cross-country skiing.
Norway won the men鈥檚 sprint, giving the country its 13th cross-country medal at the games to tie an Olympic record, and added gold in the men鈥檚 speedskating team pursuit with a win over South Korea in the final. Japan beat defending champion the Netherlands in an Olympic record to win the women鈥檚 team pursuit, and the U.S. women picked up bronze.
Mariama Jamanka won the women鈥檚 bobsled, giving Germany its fifth gold medal in eight sliding events so far at Pyeongchang.
Meanwhile, the Russian athletes are still sitting at zero in the gold medals column. But that number could change soon.
Teen figure skaters Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva were in first and second place , respectively, in the women鈥檚 short program after earning the highest scores ever. That leaves them both in good position to come up with gold heading into the free skate Friday.
鈥淚 was very happy when I saw the score, but I did not expect it,鈥� said the 15-year-old Zagitova, who had 82.92 points. 鈥淣ow my name will be connected to that record.鈥�
Brady Leman of sa国际传媒 won the men鈥檚 skicross , beating Marc Bischofberger of Switzerland in a wild final 鈥� after some scary elimination rounds during which a handful of crashes forced several men to leave the course on medical sleds.
Finland won the bronze in women鈥檚 hockey with a 3-2 victory over the Russian team. The gold-medal game between the United States and sa国际传媒 is Thursday.
At Jeongseon Alpine Center, Goggia was behind on the leaderboard at the top, but sped up near the bottom of the hill. It was enough to keep Vonn just out of reach when she raced two spots later.
鈥淚 gave it all today, skied a great race,鈥� Vonn said. 鈥淪ofia just skied better than I did.鈥�
Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Vonn likely completed her final Olympic downhill race. She will compete in the combined, along with American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, and that will be her last race in Pyeongchang.
鈥淚t鈥檚 sad,鈥� Vonn said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my last downhill. I wish I could keep going. I鈥檓 having so much fun and I love what I do, but my body just can鈥檛 take another four years. But I鈥檓 proud to be competing for my country, giving it all and proud to come away with a medal.鈥�
GOOD POSITION
Unless another Russian athlete beats them to it, Zagitova and Medvedeva have the first gold for the team in their sights.
The 18-year-old Medvedeva posted a short-lived record score of 81.61 鈥� despite not being completely happy.
鈥淚鈥檓 satisfied with my performance today. It was not my best, but it was OK,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll the battle is still ahead.鈥�
And, three skaters later, Zagitova broke the mark by completing a difficult program that included a triple lutz-triple loop combination.
Kaetlyn Osmond of sa国际传媒 was third with 78.87 points.
HISTORY-MAKING RACES
Jessica Diggins passed the Swedes and the Norwegians on the final lap in the women鈥檚 team sprint to give the U.S. an upset victory.
鈥淚t feels unreal,鈥� Diggins said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe it just happened.鈥�
Sweden took silver, while Bjoergen and teammate Maiken Caspersen Falla finished third. Bjoergen broke a tie with Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjourndalen for the most Winter Games medals ever. The 37-year-old Norwegian has seven career golds, four silvers and three bronze medals.
In the men鈥檚 sprint, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Martin Johnsrud Sundby helped Norway to the gold.
It was the third gold for Klaebo, who tied French biathlete Martin Fourcade for the most so far at Pyeongchang Games.
ON THE ICE
In men鈥檚 hockey quarterfinal action, Pavel Francouz stopped all five shooters and Petr Kouka scored the shootout winner as the Czech Republic eliminated the United States with a 3-2 victory. The Czechs moved into a semifinal against the team from Russia.
Two-time defending champion sa国际传媒 advanced to the semifinals for the third consecutive time after shutting out Finland 1-0. The two-time defending champions next face Germany.
ON THE SLIDE
Jamanka was a surprise winner in the women鈥檚 bobsledding, beating three drivers who combined to sweep the medals at the Sochi Games four years ago.
Jamanka鈥檚 time was 3 minutes, 22.45 seconds over four runs. Elana Meyers Taylor of the U.S. was second for her third consecutive Olympic medal, missing the gold by 0.07 seconds. Kaillie Humphries of sa国际传媒, the two-time defending gold medallist , won bronze.
IN PURSUIT
Japan and Norway dethroned the Netherlands in the team pursuit events and restored a semblance of balance in speedskating at the Gangneung Oval.
Japan won the women鈥檚 event in a stirring race after Norway took the men鈥檚 title, beating the Dutch in the semifinals and South Korea in the final.