Highlights from the Second Day of the Winter Olympics

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Greetings from the second full day of the Winter Olympics, marked by dramatic highs and lows in the women’s downhill skiing final at Cortina. The event was underscored by a tragic incident involving Lindsey Vonn, who suffered a severe crash just seconds into her run and had to be airlifted off the course. Despite the setback for Vonn, Breezy Johnson emerged victorious, securing the gold in the same event. This exemplifies the spirit of competition that the Olympics are known for.

In other remarkable performances, Team USA barely edged out Japan to claim gold in the figure skating team event, thanks in part to a standout performance by Ilia Malinin.

We at NBC have dubbed this month Legendary February for good reason. Alongside the exciting action on the slopes and rinks in Milan and Cortina, the Super Bowl also takes place tonight. Tune in to NBC for the big game and enjoy Bad Bunny’s halftime show, with live coverage available on nbcnews.com. Don’t miss out on all the Olympic excitement, available on Peacock.

Live Updates from Milan Cortina

Let’s address the most heart-wrenching news first: American skiing sensation Lindsey Vonn crashed only 13 seconds into her run while competing with an ACL injury from late last month. Unfortunately, Vonn sustained a broken left leg that necessitated surgery, according to a local official. The crash occurred during an Alpine ski women’s downhill race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Lindsey Vonn crashes into a gate during an Alpine ski women’s downhill race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

On a brighter note, American skier Breezy Johnson became the second American woman, following in Vonn’s footsteps, to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing. Completing her run in 1:36.1, she secured the United States’ first medal of the Milan Cortina Games.

During the figure skating team event, Team USA was nearly matched with Japan before the final men’s free skate. Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” displayed his prowess by executing a backflip and surpassing Japan’s Shun Sato to clinch the win. The American team also included performances from pairs skaters Madison Chock and Evan Bates, singles skaters Amber Glenn and Alysa Liu, among others.

Norwegian athlete Sander Eitrem set an Olympic record by clinching the gold in the men’s 5,000-meter speedskating competition with a time of 6:03.95. Additional medals went to Czechia in the women’s parallel giant slalom, while Austria triumphed in the men’s event.

For those keeping tally, as of this report, Italy leads the medal count with nine, followed by Norway with six, and Japan with four. More details can be found on our medal tracker.

Athlete Interview

After clinching gold in the men’s parallel giant slalom, Austrian snowboarder Benjamin Karl celebrated exuberantly by removing his layers until he was bare-chested, flexing his muscles, and shouting jubilantly. Laying in the snow, Karl was inspired by Alpine skier Hermann Maier, his idol, who had once performed a similar celebration. “Now I did it, this is the crown of my career,” Karl reflected on his performance.

Previously holding three Olympic medals, including a gold from Beijing in 2022, Karl expressed calmness throughout his competition. He candidly shared, “Having won gold, silver, and bronze, I was super relaxed today and all the days before, feeling less pressure than my competitors.” This being his final Games, Karl definitively marked his career with a triumphant exit.

Behind the Scenes

Noteworthy sightings today included world-famous entertainer Usher taking a casual stroll through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a luxurious shopping arcade located near the iconic Duomo di Milano. With its impressive marble floors, the Galleria resembles an art museum where one might expect to find da Vinci masterpieces.

Usher, dressed in a blue puffer jacket branded with “USA” on the back, posed for a photo with Laila Edwards of the U.S. women’s hockey team. At just 22 years of age, Edwards wasn’t born when Usher’s hit-making career began. Tourists and civilians alike sought pictures with the pop star, eager to share in the moment.

Sander Eitrem of Norway bites his gold medal on the podium after the men’s 5,000 meters speedskating race in Milan.

When to Watch

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s events, including five medal opportunities such as the women’s skiing slopestyle final. In the evening, watch American figure skaters Madison Chock and Evan Bates in rhythm dance, along with the U.S. women’s hockey team facing off against Switzerland. All times are Eastern, and an asterisk (*) indicates a medal event:

4:05 a.m.: Curling, mixed doubles (Norway vs. South Korea, Italy vs. United States, Switzerland vs. Canada, Czechia vs. Estonia)
4:30 a.m.: Alpine skiing, men’s combined downhill
6:10 a.m.: Women’s ice hockey (Japan vs. Italy)
6:30 a.m.: Women’s freestyle skiing, slopestyle final*
8:00 a.m.: Alpine skiing, men’s combined slalom*
10:40 a.m.: Women’s ice hockey (Germany vs. France)
11:00 a.m.: Luge, women’s singles run 1 and 2
11:30 a.m.: Speed skating, women’s 1,000 meters*
12:05 p.m.: Curling, mixed doubles semifinal 1
12:05 p.m.: Curling, mixed doubles semifinal 2
1:00 p.m.: Luge, women’s singles run 2
1:00 p.m.: Ski jumping, men’s normal hill*
1:20 p.m.: Figure skating, rhythm dance
1:30 p.m.: Snowboarding, women’s big air final*
2:40 p.m.: Women’s ice hockey (Switzerland vs. United States)
3:10 p.m.: Women’s ice hockey (Canada vs. Czechia)