Ski Great Is Finally an Olympic Champ

Austria's Marcel Hirscher is 'super happy'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 13, 2018 8:25 AM CST
Ski Great Is Finally an Olympic Champ
Men's combined medalists from left France's Alexis?Pinturault, silver, Austria's Marcel Hirscher, gold, and France's Victor?Muffat-Jeandet, bronze, pose during their medals ceremony at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018.   (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

The man sometimes called the "world's greatest skier" scored his first Olympic gold Tuesday. Austrian racer Marcel Hirscher, who scored a record six consecutive World Cup victories, won the men's combined with a time of 2:06:52, had previously scored no higher than silver in Sochi, the AP reports. "I'm super happy because now this stupid question has gone away, if I'm thinking that my career is perfect without a gold medal," Hirscher said. "Now the question is zzzzzzit—deleted." The 28-year-old is also favored to win the slalom and giant slalom events. In other Pyeongchang news:

  • First doping bust. Japanese short track speedskater Kei Saito has become the first athlete kicked out of Pyeongchang for a doping violation, NBC reports. Authorities say the 21-year-old voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension after he tested positive for Acetazolamide, a diuretic sometimes taken to mask the use of performance-enhancing substances. He told Japanese media he is "extremely shocked" and plans to clear his name.

  • Lady Liberty hockey masks. USA Hockey says that after discussions with the International Olympic Committee, which had requested that American goalkeepers remove Statue of Liberty logos from their masks, the logos will be allowed to stay, ESPN reports.
  • Going for the record. American Shaun White took top spot in qualifying for Wednesday's halfpipe event, where he will seek a record third gold medal in snowboarding. "I knew I had it in me, I watched these young guys putting these amazing runs in and it fired me up. I just wanted to show that this is what I have been doing my entire life," he said, per Reuters.
  • Meanwhile, in North Korea. Kim Jong Un has expressed "satisfaction" over the "very impressive" efforts made by Seoul during a visit from his sister and other high-level North Koreans, the Guardian reports. "It is important to continue making good results by further livening up the warm climate of reconciliation and dialogue created by the strong desire and common will of the North and the South with the Winter Olympics as a momentum," the North Korean leader said, per state media.
  • Condom record. The BBC reports that Winter Olympics athletes have been handed a record 110,000 condoms, which works out to 38 each. The manufacturer says it doesn't expect the athletes to use them all over the 16 days of the Games, though Tinder says there has definitely been an increase in matches.
(American teenager Chloe Kim made history in the women's halfpipe event.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X