2014 Winter Olympics medal standings: Russia, Netherlands ahead in overall count
Skate events shot Russia and the Netherlands up the overall medal count standings. Both countries won two medals and are now tied for the medal lead with 14 apiece.
Russia and the Netherlands sit tied atop the overall medal count Saturday after impressive performances on skates. Victor An and Vladimir Grigorev went 1-2 in the men’s 1,000-meter short track to briefly give Russia sole possession of first place at 14 medals. Dutchman Sjinkie Knegt took third in the event, then Koen Verwij took silver in men’s 1,500-meter speed skating to put the Netherlands in a tie with Russia.
The United States and Norway were tied atop the standings heading into Saturday. They still sit at 13 medals.
Team USA hoped Shani Davis would be able to level the playing field in the men's 1,500-meter speed skating event. Davis was considered a favorite to win entering the Olympics, but entered the event coming off a disappointing eight-place finish in the 1,000-meter event. A change of wardrobe didn't help him. He finished 11th in the 1,500-meter. Teammate Brian Hansen was seventh.
Along with Russia and the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden were also able to add impressive hardware. Austria has been the most dominant country in super-G skiing since the event was added in 1988, and they continued that tradition Saturday by winning gold and bronze in the women’s event. Sweden finally won in cross country skiing, after taking seven medals without a gold before winning the women’s 4x5-kilometer relay.
Germany moved into third place in the overall medal count, taking its 12th piece of hardware with Maria Hofl-Riesch’s second-place finish in the super-G. Canada tied them with a bronze-medal finish in the 1,500-meter. Germany still leads the gold medal count with seven. Switzerland is in second place in the gold medal count with five, and behind it the United States, Netherlands, Norway and Canada are tied with four.
More on the Winter Olympics:
• Hockey: Men’s schedule | All 12 men’s rosters | USA roster analysis
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