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Olympic medal update: Team USA sweeps ski slopestyle final

American olympians added three more medals to the country’s haul on Thursday after sweeping the men’s ski slopestyle final.

by Alex Skillin

Feb 13, 2014, 5:31 PM UTC

Quinn Rooney

Team USA won three more medals on Thursday, as skiers Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy, and Nicholas Goepper swept the men’s ski slopestyle final. Christensen won the gold with a score of 95.80, while Kenworthy took home silver and Goepper the bronze with scores of 93.60 and 92.40, respectively. The three skiers brought America’s total medal tally to 12, which is tied with the Netherlands’ total and one behind Norway, which leads all countries with 13.

Elsewhere, France’s Martin Fourcade earned his second gold medal of the Olympics, winning the men’s individual 20km biathlon in a time of 49:31.7 after also taking home the gold for the 12.5km biathlon earlier in the Games. Germany’s Erik Lesser won the silver (49:43.9), while Evgeniy Garanichev of Russia won the bronze (50:06.2).

In women’s cross country skiing, Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk took home the gold in the 10km classic, earning her country’s second medal of the games with a time of 28:17.8. Charlotte Kalla of Sweden (28:36.2) won the silver medal, and Norway’s Therese Johaug (28:46.1) added a bronze to her country’s medal haul.

Two women’s speed skating events also concluded on Thursday, with China’s Jianrou Li taking home gold in the 500m short track finals, completing the event in 45.263 seconds. Arianna Fontana of Italy won the silver in 51.250 seconds, and South Korea’s Seung-Hi Park earned the bronze with a time of 54.207 seconds.

In the women’s 1000m skating event, China won another gold, as Hong Zhang bested her competitors with a time of 1:14.02. The Netherlands continued their strong performances in speed skating, with two Dutch skaters taking home the silver and bronze medals. Ireen Wust finished just behind Zhang (1:14.69), while fellow countryman Margot Boer came in third with a time of 1:14.90.

Thursday’s final medal event was the luge team relay event. Germany took home the gold in 2:45.649, earning their country’s second medal of the day. Team Russia finished just behind Germany (2:46.679), taking home the silver, and Latvia won its second medal of the Olympics, winning the bronze with a time of 2:47.295.