Swiss Slider Takes the Gold

Switzerland’s Maya Pedersen, who parked her sled to become a mother two years ago, is now an Olympic champion after winning her country’s first gold medal of the Turin Games, in women’s skeleton.

Showing no fear in a headfirst, freezing free fall down one of the world’s fastest sliding tracks, in Cesana, Italy, Pedersen completed her two runs in 1 minute 59.83 seconds, an astonishing 1.23 seconds ahead of Shelley Rudman of Britain. Rudman’s silver was the first medal of these Games for Britain.

Canada’s Mellisa Hollingsworth-Richards won the bronze.

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BIATHLON

Surprises Go France’s Way in Women’s Sprint

France capped a surprising day in the women’s biathlon when Florence Baverel-Robert won the 7.5-kilometer sprint in Cesana after Russian superstar Olga Pyleva was suspended for failing a doping test.

In another shocker, Ukraine’s Lilia Efremova took the bronze. The only favorite to reach the podium was Sweden’s Anna Carin Olofsson, who won silver.

Olofsson crossed only 2.4 seconds behind Baverel-Robert’s time of 22 minutes 31.4 seconds. Efremova was 6.6 seconds behind the surprise gold medalist.

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CROSS-COUNTRY

Estonia’s Smigun Takes Her Second Turin Gold

Estonia’s Kristina Smigun watched World Cup leader Marit Bjorgen collapse across the finish line, glanced at the time, then raised her arms and screamed for joy in celebration of her second gold medal of these Games.

Smigun took the lead by the seven-kilometer mark in the interval-start women’s 10-kilometer classical cross-country race in Pragelato, earning her second individual gold in as many events. She won the 15-kilometer pursuit Sunday.

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NORDIC COMBINED

Austrian Rallies on Final Leg to Lift Team to Win

Mario Stecher erased a 20-second deficit during the final leg of the cross-country relay race to lead Austria to the gold medal in the Nordic combined team event, which had been delayed a day because of high winds in Pragelato.

In a thrilling finish, Stecher overtook Germany’s Jens Gaiser midway through the last leg of the 4x5-kilometer cross-country race. Austria won in 49 minutes 52.6 seconds. Germany was 15.3 seconds behind to take the silver.

Defending champion Finland won the bronze, 26.8 seconds behind Austria. Germany had a 10-second lead over Austria after the wind-delayed second jump and led for most of the cross-country race.

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CURLING

First-Place Sweden Concedes to U.S. Men

The United States rallied to beat first-place Sweden, 10-6, in Pinerolo. The U.S. (3-2) and Sweden (3-2) traded two-pointers for four ends, then held serve with one point the next four times. With Sweden holding the big last-rock advantage called the hammer, the U.S. stole two points in the ninth end when skip Pete Fenson converted a double-takeout on his second throw.

Because it didn’t score, Sweden retained the hammer for the 10th and final end, but Fenson dropped another double-takeout on them with his last rock; Sweden conceded, needing two points to force extra ends with only one stone left.

Cassie Johnson left her last rock short, and Sweden held on for a 5-4 victory in extra ends, sending the U.S. women’s team to its fourth loss in five games.

The U.S. will need to win its last four matches in the round-robin to have a chance at the medal round. Sweden (4-1) scored a point in the 10th frame to tie it and send it into extras.