BC-Olympic Digest, ADVISORY

Saturday 12 February 2022 05:29 EST

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Hello from Beijing

Today is Day 8 of the Beijing Olympics. Here are AP’s coverage plans. All times are Eastern. For questions, please email Amanda Barrett at abarrett@ap.org. Find the latest Olympics coverage plans on Coverage Plan. For expanded content, visit AP’s Olympics hub on AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477. For questions about the digital news experience or medals tables, please email Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org.

HAPPENING IN BEIJING

Athletes showed that age is just a number. Lindsey Jacobellis 36, won her second gold medal of the Olympics by teaming with 40-year-old Nick Baumgartner for the title in the new event of mixed snowboardcross. Meanwhile, the young and inexperienced U.S. men's hockey team got their second win in a bruising matchup with Canada

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TOP STORIES

OLY-FIG-RUSSIAN-DOPING — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva broke down in tears after an emotional practice session at the Olympics while her doping case is still to be decided. The 15-year-old Russian’s status at the Olympics is unclear after testing positive for a banned substance. By Graham Dunbar. SENT: 750 words, photo.

OLY-FIG-VAIEVA'S COACH — Eteri Tutberidze’s young pupils have dominated women’s figure skating for the past eight years. Her camp in Moscow produces a line of teenage stars who can land jumps no other women even try. She rarely speaks to the media. This week, she is in the spotlight because her star, 15-year-old Kamila Valieva, tested positive for a banned medication. By James Ellingworth. SENT: 1,057 words, photos.

OLY--MAINSTREAMING MENTAL HEALTH — Mental health was the breakout star of the Tokyo Olympics: It shook up those Games and made everyone sit up and take notice. At the Beijing Olympics, it’s more like the defending champ: It pops up regularly, but no one is shocked when it enters the conversation. This is what many hoped for, that as more athletes acknowledged what they face behind the scenes, the stigma around talking about mental health would recede and the issue would merely become one more challenge in the mix. By Sarah DiLorenzo. SENT: 971 words, photos.

OLY--BEIJNG-TIBET HOTEL — People attending the Beijing Winter Olympics can’t visit Tibet because they’re in China’s “closed loop” system for foreign visitors. But some visitors, including part of the Associated Press’ Olympics team, are getting a taste of the region because they’ve been assigned to the Tibet Hotel. By Kelvin Chan. SENT: 950 words, photos.

OLY--SPD-SPEEDSKATING — Gao Tingyu has become the first Chinese man to claim an Olympic gold medal in speedskating by winning the 500 meters. Gao added to the bronze medal he took in the 500 at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. By National Writer Paul Newberry. SENT: 312 words, photos. Will be updated to 700 words by 7 a.m., photos. WITH: OLY--CHINA-SOUTH KOREA-SKATING ROW — Chinese and South Korean short track ice skating fans are duking it out online over allegations of foul play, tapping into the historical rivalry between their countries. By Kim Tong-Hyung. SENT: 958 words, photos.

OLY--DAY 7-PHOTO GALLERY — Shaun White’s final Olympic run highlights day 7. SENT: 46 words, photos.

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EXPLAINER

OLY-OLYMPICS-WHY BEIJING?-EXPLAINER — Nobody views Beijing as a winter sports capital. So why is the sprawling city holding the Winter Olympics? These Games come just 13 1/2 years after the extravagant 2008 Summer Games in the Chinese capital. There’s a simple answer. By Stephen Wade. SENT: 581 words, photo.

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GLIMPSE

OLY-GLIMPSES-OLYMPIC TOWER AT NIGHT — The Jetsonian styling of the Beijing Olympic Tower, captured by anyone who passes with an iPhone, lives its best life in this image taken Friday night — Day 7 of the Beijing Games — by Associated Press photographer Jae C. Hong, who captured it shrouded in the layered night sky and poking upward toward the stars. SENT: 184 words, photo.

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THE ATHLETES

OLY--CUR-FAMILY AFFAIR — A handful of athletes at the Ice Cube curling venue have found a clever way to get around the ban on bringing families to Beijing for the Olympics. They are competing with their spouses or siblings. By Jimmy Golen. SENT: 850 words, photos.

OLY-SKI-TRAINING-SHIFFRIN & GOGGIA — Mikaela Shiffrin and Sofia Goggia have come away with positive thoughts after taking part in the first women’s downhill training run at the Beijing Olympics. The race is scheduled for Tuesday. By Howard Fendrich. SENT: 585 words, photos.

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THE GAMES WE PLAY

OLY--SBD-MIXED TEAM SNOWBOARDCROSS — Lindsey Jacobellis won her second gold medal of the Olympics as she teamed with 40-year-old Nick Baumgartner for the title in the new event of mixed snowboardcross. By Pat Graham and Eddie Pells. SENT: 787 words, photos.

OLY—HKO-US-CANADA — Answering all the questions raised about their youth and inexperience, the U.S. went toe to toe with Canada in a bruising matchup between the longtime rivals. Using not just speed and skill but also a healthy dose of physicality against bigger, stronger opponents, the Americans emerged with a hard-earned 4-2 victory Saturday and are unbeaten in two games at the Olympics. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. SENT: 742 words, photos.

OLY-HKO-AMERICAN ADVANTAGE — The United States and Canada go into the final day of the preliminary round at the Olympics in very different positions. The unbeaten Americans can win the group and earn a spot in the quarterfinals by beating Germany on Sunday. Canada has some kinks to work out in what should be an easy game against host China. By Stephen Whyno. SENT; 635 words, photos.

OLY--HKW—REINVENTING CANADA — The Canadians have dominated the Beijing Games women’s hockey tournament with a dynamic, fast-paced transition attack in outscoring their opponents by a combined 44-5 through the quarterfinal round. The team, under coach Troy Ryan, was forced to reinvent its approach after losing to the U.S. at the 2018 Games and finishing third at the 2019 world championships. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. SENT: 819 words, photos.

OLY--BOB-THE FIGHT FOR MONOBOB — This road started in 2014, when Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor started driving four-man bobsleds against men with hopes of getting a second medal event for women added to the Olympic program. In 2018, they got their wish. And now, it truly becomes reality for the top American pilots and the other best women’s bobsledders in the world. The inaugural Olympic monobob — only one woman in the sled — event starts Sunday. By Tim Reynolds. SENT: 926 words, photos.

OLY--SKE-WOMEN'S SKELETON — Jaclyn Narracott of Australia is the leader midway through the women’s skeleton competition, which concludes Saturday night. A slew of other women remain in the medal hunt, including Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. By Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 650 words by 10 a.m., photos.

OLY--XXC-WOMEN’S RELAY — The Russian team started strong and finished strong Saturday in the women’s four-person relay, winning another Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing. By Martha Bellise. SENT: 496 words, photos.

OLY-BIA—MEN'S SPRINT — The men take to the shooting range in the fastest and shortest of the biathlon events in the Beijing Olympics -- the sprint. By Martha Bellisle. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos. Competitions starts at 4 a.m.

OLY--JUM-SKI JUMPING-LARGE HILL —Poland’s Kamil Stoch aims to win a third straight Olympic gold medal in ski jumping on the large hill. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Competition starts 6:45 a.m.

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UP TO THE MINUTE

— OLYMPICS ROUNDUP — Highlights of the day from the 2022 Winter Games.

— BEIJING OLYMPICS-THE LATEST — Real-time updates and photos from every venue around the Winter Games.

— BEIJING OLYMPICS-WHAT TO WATCH — A guide to key storylines each day. Moves after 1 a.m.

— MEDAL BRIEFS — A roundup of the day’s gold medals.

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FEATURED IMAGES

OLYBA101 — Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee, trains at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

OLYMH160 — Canada goalkeeper Eddie Pasquale is knocked down by teammate Alex Grant (20) during a preliminary round men’s hockey game.

OLYBA336 — Japan’s Chinami Yoshida yells to her teammates during a women’s curling match against Denmark.

OLYGH152 — Austin Kleba of the United States falls during his heat in the men’s speedskating 500-meter race.

XPAG104 — Laura Nolte of Germany starts during a women’s monobob training heat.

OLYKS175 — Spectators watch during the mixed team snowboard cross finals as the snow falls.

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GRAPHICS

Beijing Winter Olympics Medal Tracker

AP will be offering a daily medal roundup for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, showcasing the top 10 medal winners by country.

Beijing Winter Games Top 10 Medal Tracker 1C — A 1-column wide list of the most medals won, sorted by country, at the Beijing Olympic Games; ETA updated 10:30 a.m. Eastern time daily throughout the Olympics

Beijing Winter Games Top 10 Medal Tracker 2C — A 2-column wide list of the most medals won, sorted by country, at the Beijing Olympic Games; ETA updated 10:30 a.m. Eastern time daily throughout the Olympics

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