Sochi 2014: Winter Olympics

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Sochi 2014: Winter Olympics

CNN brings you daily coverage of the Winter Games, with in-depth analysis and behind-the scenes shots from our dedicated teams on the ground in Sochi.

3rd & 7 37yd

Elegance... #cnnsochi #sochi2014
by carolinepatersoncnn via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 9:32:12 AM
As you can tell from our pictures, the sun is blazing across Sochi.

With the world trying to comprehend a warm Winter Games, CNN's Ian Lee went on a mission to find out more:

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 9:27:18 AM
When the U.S. take on Russia in the men's ice hockey later today, there will be one player on the rink who provides a link between this rivalry's past and it's present.

Ryan Suter is a defenseman who plays for the Minnesota Wilds and his father Bob was one of the stars who made the "Miracle on Ice" possible.

But as Ryan explains, his father doesn't like to talk about his own Olympic legacy.

"He always kind of changes the subject. He starts talking about my kids or about the game we played the other night.

"So I know he's very proud of it, he just doesn't like to talk about himself."

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 9:23:07 AM
There is so much Russian pride on display in the Olympic Park. #cnnsochi #sochi2014
by carolinepatersoncnn via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 9:15:59 AM
As you can tell from this photo taken by CNN producer Caroline Paterson, it's another scorcher by the Black Sea.

Palm trees and snow capped mountains - the classic Sochi combo. #cnnsochi #sochi2014
by carolinepatersoncnn via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 9:02:57 AM
A fantastic achievement by Fenninger, I'm sure you'd all agree.

To celebrate, let's give her a big hand...

I know, it's a terrible joke. I apologise.

Hello Sochi. #sochi2014 #cnnsochi
by carolinepatersoncnn via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:51:41 AM
It's all over, Anna Fenninger wins her first Olympic gold medal! Austria takes the women's Super G title for the third Games in a row, with Fenninger's compatriot Nicole Hosp claiming the bronze medal. Separating the two Austrians is Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch, who finishes in second place.

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:43:20 AM
Streams of colourful spectators in the Olympic Park. #cnnsochi #sochi2014
by carolinepatersoncnn via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:32:28 AM
The women's Super G is the first of seven gold medal events on this sunny Sochi Saturday.

At 1000 GMT the women will be tearing up the Laura Cross-country and Biathlon Centre in the 4 x 5 kilometer relay.

We missed it yesterday, but short-track returns today with medals to be won in the women's 1500m and men's 1000m.

The speed skaters also get in on the act at the Adler Arena, with the men going for gold over 1500m.

Add to that gold medals in skeleton and ski jumping and, all in all, we've got a thrill-a-minute day of Olympic action.

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:26:48 AM
Champion in waiting: Anna Fenninger will soon be confirmed as a gold medaliist. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:18:40 AM
Amanda Davies
@AmandaJDavies
Fab day of 1st time Olympic champs y/day - @TheYarnold , Yuzuru Hanyu, Alla Tsuper & Sandro Viletta. What will day 8 will bring? #sochi2014
Feb. 15, 2014
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You can probably add Anna Fenninger's name to that list, Amanda!

It would be the first Olympic medal of any color for the 24-year-old, who finished 16th in the Super G at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.
by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:17:19 AM
Aside from hockey, there is plenty of other action to sink our teeth into.

Right now the world's finest female skiers are throwing themselves down the side of a mountain in the women's Super G.

Austria's Anna Fenninger is in gold medal position after setting a blistering time of one minute and 25.52 seconds.

Expect imminent confirmation of a third consecutive women's Super G gold for Austria.

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:14:26 AM
"Do you believe in miracles?! Yes!"

The now immortal words spoken by sportscaster Al Michaels as Team USA's college kids and amateur heroes took on the ice hockey might of the Soviet Union... and won.

That was 1980 and that win in a medal-round match at the Lake Placid Games has since been dubbed the "Miracle on Ice."

Today these two winter sports powerhouses resume their rivalry on the rink. It might only be a pool stage match, and no medals will be won or lost, but it's the U.S. against Russia -- it's always a big deal.

Good morning and welcome to another unmissable day at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 8:01:48 AM
by tom.mcgowan 2/15/2014 7:51:18 AM
"People inside racing don't like combined because it is difficult. We have a lot of questionable sports in the Olympics today. We will have snowballing in the Olympics soon and we want to throw this away." Silver medallist Ivica Kostelic on the possibility super combined will be dropped from the Games.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:44:48 PM
"We are hungry men, and hungry men are angry." Bobsledder Winston Watts gets worked up about the Jamaica team's appetite for success.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:44:21 PM
"Now I'm going for a nap, I'm knackered." Cross country skier Jan Rossiter on finishing in 82nd place in the men's 15km classic.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:41:13 PM
"I wouldn't be surprised, she's a babe." So said Alex Deibold on fellow snowboarder Jamie Anderson reportedly cancelling her account for smartphone dating app Tinder before her event because she found it "distracting". Read more about Valentine's Day in Sochi here.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:39:43 PM
In the finest traditions laid down by blog connoisseur Tom McGowan, it's time to start winding down with our quotes of the day section.

Tom reckons it should be called "They said What?!" but I'm a sucker for alliteration so tonight I'll be calling it "Sochi soundbites"

Here are a few of the best from day seven at the Winter Olympics..

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:35:19 PM
Alla Tsuper on her gold medal in the ladies' aerials final:

"I my first Olympics (Nagano 1998) I was not nervous about it. Every year it becomes harder. Right now I decided that it would be like my first Olympics so I wasn't nervous at all. I'm very happy to be Olympic champion. I was showing my fight and my power, that I could do everything and I put trust in myself."

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:31:16 PM
The men's large hill individual qualification round in ski jumping has been completed too.

Austria's Michael Hayboeck jumped the furthest - clocking an impressive 131 meters.

Round One starts on Saturday and is well worth a watch.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:26:59 PM
There two results to bring you in the ice hockey, pretty one-sided affairs if the truth be told:

Canada 6-0 Austria
Finland 6-1 Norway

Both Canada and Finland make it two wins from two. Here are the standings.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:23:58 PM
Canada's Jeff Carter (77) scores against Austria (Getty Images)

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:14:40 PM
His free program was a little sketchy (he says having never managed to stand up for more than 10 seconds on an ice rink) but Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu has the gold medal.

Not only is he the first Japanese man to win figure skating gold - and the first to land a gold for Japan in Sochi - he's also the youngest winner for 66 years at just 19-years-old.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:12:00 PM
Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu wins the men's figure skating crown!

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:08:50 PM
Several mistakes from Jason Brown in his routine which will probably see him fall just outside the medals.

As things stand, this is how it is shaping up to finish:

1. Yuzuru Hanyu - 280.09
2. Patrick Chan - 275.62
3. Denis Ten - 255.10

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:06:14 PM
bailey Kimbrough
@baileykimbrough
Go Jason Brown!!!! Best smile at the Games! #Sochi2014 #Olympics
Feb. 14, 2014
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by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:02:34 PM
Kayla Martz #LWOS
@Kayluvsredwings
COME ON JASON BROWN!!!!! GO GET THAT MEDAL I DONT CARE WHICH ONE! ????????????????????????????????????????
Feb. 14, 2014
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by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 7:00:58 PM
There is one man left to go in the men's figure skating final - Jason Brown of the USA.

If he can nail this routine perfectly, he could barge his way into contention. No pressure, Jason...

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 6:59:32 PM
There is better news for Canada in the ice hockey, where they currently lead Austria 6-0 with a few minutes to go in the second quarter.

The other match in progress is similarly one-sided, with Finland thumping Norway 5-1.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 6:58:33 PM
Patrick Chan struggles to stay upright during his figure skating performance (Getty Images)

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 6:55:17 PM
Daniel Keat
@dankeat
Great work from @TheYarnold - Gold for GB. #YarnyArmy #Sochi2014
Feb. 14, 2014
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by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:37:02 PM
Christina Macfarlane
@chrissymacCNN
Oh yes Lizzie Yarnold!!!! Almost a second ahead of rest of the field #sochi
Feb. 14, 2014
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by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:36:42 PM
Piers Morgan
@piersmorgan
BOOOOM! Gold for #Lizzie - brilliant.
Feb. 14, 2014
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by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:35:36 PM
Team GB have their first gold medal of the Games and it is Lizzy Yarnold who takes the acclaim of the crowd! Beautiful scenes as she waves the Union Jack abound with glee.

In truth it was a poor final run by the standards she had previously set but she has won by a margin of 0.97 seconds, which is huge in skeleton terms.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:34:52 PM
Lizzy Yarnold takes Great Britain's first gold of the Winter Olympics in the women's skeleton!

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:31:55 PM
Noelle Pikus-Pace has a storming run and she's definitely on the podium. She celebrates by leaping into the crowd and hugging her family.

More than that she's put a heap of pressure on Lizzy Yarnold, who is up next....

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:30:45 PM
Just two runs remain in the women's skeleton - can the USA's Noelle Pikus-Pace put the pressure right on Lizzy Yarnold? Here she goes....

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:28:59 PM
We're getting to the business end of the women's skeleton now, with only eight women left to go. Germany's Anja Huber is currently zipping down the track.

Team GB's Lizzy Yarnold is less than ten minutes away from fulfilling her Olympic destiny.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 5:16:56 PM
The third heat of the women's skeleton run is off and running, and the leader Lizzy Yarnold is perfectly placed to bring home Team GB's first gold of the Games.

She broke the track record on her third run and now leads the USA's Noelle Pikus-Pace by 0.78 seconds, which I'm led to believe is humongous in skeleton terms.

Barring a fourth run littered with errors she's odds on to lift gold and provoke a thousand conga dances throughout the UK's streets and offices.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 3:53:11 PM
Darya Domracheva crosses the line to take her second gold of the Games (Getty Images)

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 3:45:02 PM
It's official - Darya Domracheva from Belarus is the women's individual biathlon champion!

She took the bronze four years ago but has upgraded to an altogether more satisfactory color of medal, beating Switzerland's Selina Gasparin into second and and compatriot Nadezhda Skardino into third.

It means she's won two golds in three days after scooping the women's pursuit crown on Tuesday. She missed just one target during the biathlon. Impressive.

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 3:42:52 PM
Darya Domracheva takes gold in the women's individual 15km biathlon

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 3:36:12 PM
If I go a little quiet over the next hour, it'll be because the curling is on. Let's face it, if feels like it's always on at these Olympics and that is fine by me.

There are four matches under way in the men's round robin at present and here are the latest scores:

Great Britain 0-2 Denmark
Russia 2-0- United States
China 1-0 Norway
Switzerland 1-0 Germany

There's something beautifully intoxicating watching those stones fly down the ice (if you have the TV on mute that is, to block out the blood curdling screams of the participants).

by Chris Murphy 2/14/2014 3:34:38 PM
How dating app @Tinder is heating up the Olympic Village: cnn.it/1otRghZ #CNNSochi http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BgcWcRGCAAA7M6p.jpg

by cnnivideo via twitter 2/14/2014 3:27:59 PM