ICYMI: Beijing Olympics Highlights for 2/19
FIGURE SKATING – NBC & PEACOCK
Terry Gannon on Alexa Knierim’s and Brandon Frazier’s pairs’ free skate program (6th place): “It might not have been perfect, but it was awfully impressive, and they took you along for the ride.”
Lipinski on Knierim and Frazier: “I know there was one major mistake, but I had chills. This is what the Olympics is about. You work hard, you prepare, and then you let it all go. Exactly what you want to do. Mission accomplished.”
Johnny Weir on Knierim and Frazier: “Just watching her, especially, skating into that last lift — I could see her looking up into the building. It requires great training to be able to step out and just appreciate the moment that you’re in. That’s what I felt from this whole performance. That was just so, so excellent.”
Weir on Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc’s performance (8th place): “There’s such a brilliance to this team. Unfortunately, on the day, too many mistakes, but just seeing them on Olympic ice, living their truths, and doing it in such fabulous fashion, has really been wonderful to see.”
Lipinski on Cain-Gribble and LeDuc: “It’s such a treat to see this team make it to Olympic ice. We’ve watched them work so hard to get here. We know it’s been quite a journey to not only be here, but to be here authentically. Timothy told us they’re excited to be the first non-binary Winter Olympian, but more importantly, they hope their presence can show that queer people don’t have to alter themselves to have success in Olympic sports, and in a sport like figure skating, that message is even more important.”
Gannon on China’s Wenjing Sui and Han Cong’s gold medal: “It’s a home gold for China!”
Weir on Sui and Han: “That performance, aside from the bobble on the triple salchow, was gold medal material. It was so emotional, it was vibrant, they skated like they were on one heartbeat. Stunning example – all of these teams – of pairs skating, but this team in particular.”
Lipinski on Sui and Han: “It almost feels like this was meant to be, Maybe this was the script that was always written, and at times excruciating…but it led to this moment on home ice.”
Weir on Russian Olympic Committee pairing of Evgeniya Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov (silver medal): “This moment is spectacular. All competitions aside, they’ve waited so long to deliver a performance this strong…This season, and especially this performance, their hearts were singing.”
Lipinski on Russian Olympic Committee pairing of Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galiamov (bronze medal): “That was technically perfect…everything is professionally wrapped, it’s like you went to a department store and Bergdorf Goodman wrapped it. It’s so polished.”
Tirico on Kamila Valiyeva’s return to Russia: “Here’s the scene Friday as she returned to Russia, receiving a huge reception upon arrival in Moscow. Greeted by large cheering crowds applauding her, lots of fans holding signs, she’s holding flowers. Of course, finishing fourth, mentioned in the headlines across Russia after everyone saw first-hand her disappointment and emotion on the stage of the Olympic Games.”
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ALPINE SKIING – NBC, USA NETWORK & PEACOCK
Dan Hicks on Mikaela Shiffrin heading into the team parallel event: “The most unlikely Olympic Games you could have possibly thought of for Mikaela Shiffrin. In her specialties…skiing out, and then it all boils down to this one last chance in the very first team event she’s ever participated in.”
Steve Porino on Shiffrin winning her first heat against Slovakia: “That looked like Mikaela Shiffrin getting one across the line and getting the point. That was not her on the limit, and finally though, across the line in a giant slalom and that could be a game changer.”
Porino on Team USA losing to Norway in the semi-final: “For all the years that the Americans have been competing in this discipline, and it’s gone from the slalom or giant slalom over the years, this is as close as they have been. This one was just so close.”
Porino on Shiffrin’s final run in the bronze medal matchup vs. Norway: “You could see her make that mistake early and really get on the gas pedal towards the end…No one has been able overtake someone on the blue course from the red course.”
Shiffrin to Todd Lewis on teammates: “It’s just been incredible to compete today with you guys. After a long Olympics, this is my absolute favorite memory.”
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BOBSLED – NBC & PEACOCK
Leigh Diffey on Team USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor/Sylvia Hoffman’s bronze medal-winning run: “Hoffman and Meyers Taylor are going to stand on the podium! Doing it for her son Nico, for her husband Nick, and Team USA. One of the most celebrated American sliders ever has done it for the stars and stripes.”
Bree Schaaf: “This is the best we have seen from Elana. She is bringing it today…One of the best runs of the race here…Here she is, proud mother and wife, one of the oldest and only mothers in the field, start record holder, and now five-time Olympic medalist.”
Tirico on Meyers Taylor: “With her bronze medal, she now has more career medals than any other Black athlete in the history of the Winter Olympics…It has been an amazing week for Elana Meyers Taylor.”
Schaaf on Germany teams winning gold and silver: “Germany prepares their athletes not just for sliding, but for winning. They bring their youth athletes to the Winter Games to get a feel for the energy, and (gold medalist) Laura Nolte one of those athletes, a young pilot who maintained unbelievable composure.”
Leigh Diffey on Germany’s four-man bobsled team led by Francesco Friedrich: “This is the great man of sliding…It’s gold again! The first ever to get back-to-back two- and four-man gold in the history of bobsled at the Olympic Games. Frankie Friedrich is the man.”
Diffey on Canada’s bronze in four-man bobsled: “Canada celebrates! Justin Kripps prevents a German sweep of the podium.”
