It may not be possible to catch all the best moments in a single day of the Olympic Games, but we’re going to try. Every day, we’ll award medals for standout achievements at (and around) Pyeongchang 2018 and feats that may or may not be recognized on the podium (and may or may not even be of an athletic nature).
Day 6 of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games featured lots of figure skating, some really cool fashion, great music, and an unfortunate choice of words by Shaun White.
Gold for a historic bronze
Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford finished in third in the pairs figure skating competition. They are now the first Canadians to win a medal in the event since 2002. Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany won gold, while Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China won the silver. This is the Canadians’ first Olympic medal in what is probably their last Olympicss. Radford was bullied as a child for being gay. Now he’s not only the first openly gay man to win gold at a Winter Olympics, he’s got a personal bronze.
“I literally feel like I might explode with pride,” Radford said.
Judging by the reaction on Twitter, not just the LGBTQ community, but all of Canada are proud of the historic duo.
Meagan Duhamel (@mhjd_85) and Eric Radford (@Rad85E) save the best for last and capture the elusive pairs Olympic medal https://t.co/vn64WmDX0d pic.twitter.com/X8mlleazxi
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 15, 2018
BREAKING: Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford win the 8th all-time Olympic medal for in Pairs figure skating, winning bronze pic.twitter.com/H0ANuR3jDv
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 15, 2018
Ahhhh. Seeing Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford on the Olympic podium just warms your heart. They skated so beautifully. And for BRONZE!
— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) February 15, 2018
Gold for the 5th time being the charm
This was Savchenko’s fifth Olympics and all Twitter could talk about was the perseverance and faith she showed.
Gold for music choice
For the first time in Olympics history, figure skaters can skate to music with lyrics. In the pairs final, France’s Vanessa James and Morgan Ciprès skated to a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s Sound of Silence by the metal band Disturbed. The artistic impression of the music choice set Twitter on fire more so than their technical score.
THIS TEAM IS SKATING TO DISTURBED IS THIS REAL LIFE
— Christine Rousselle (@crousselle) February 15, 2018
The year is 2018 and @Disturbed cover of Sound of Silence was just used by the French pair's free skate in the Olympics. What a time to be alive!
— Zane (@IamWizardOfWazz) February 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/leahgaraas/status/963979716079190016
Gold for head gear
Akwasi Frimpong is the first Ghanaian and first West African male to compete in skeleton at the Olympics. Despite that, he’s best known for his helmet, which depicts a rabbit escaping from a lion. “I am the rabbit,” he explained, as the image represents him escaping the trials and tribulations throughout his life. Italy’s Joseph Luke Cecchini gives him a run for his money for best helmet as his appropriately has a skeleton design on the top.
PSA: Ghana's Akwasi Frimpong's helmet is straight pic.twitter.com/EdSbo7QZm0
— Liam Boylan-Pett (@liam_bp) February 13, 2018
Athletes from other countries are in on it too.
Ghana's Akwasi Frimpong has a SWEET tiger helmet, while Italy's Joseph Luke Cecchini puts the in #skeleton#PyeongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/MoQNOBBjf1— Josh K. Elliott (@joshkelliott) February 14, 2018
Gold for non-gossip
The #MeToo movement has made its way to the Winter Olympics. When asked if allegations of sexual misconduct have tarnished his legacy, Shaun White became annoyed at the line of questioning. He later had to issue an apology on NBC’s Today Show for dismissing the allegations as “gossip”. In 2016, the American Olympian was accused by a former member of his rock music group of sexual harassment and a refusal to pay wages, among other acts of gross misconduct. The lawsuit was settled out of court in May for an undisclosed amount.
Irrespective of his gaffe when asked about it, opinions varied on if White’s past was relevant point of conversation at these games.
Shaun White, a sexual harassment case that you settled isn’t "gossip." It’s unfortunate that you called it that rather than say you made mistakes. You’re indisputably an icon, but so are lots of people who do bad things (no pun intended). #TimesUp https://t.co/3EPVGkzV7j
— Black Widow 2018 (@natasharesists) February 14, 2018
Gold for two-sport athletes
White has also made it known he wants to skateboard at the 2020 Olympics. After winning his third gold medal in snowboarding at the Pyeongchang Games, White said that it would “mean the world” to compete as a skateboarder at Tokyo 2020 and didn’t rule out competing again in snowboarding four years from now.
https://twitter.com/kiara_bock/status/963772502269988864
GOATs do what GOATs do. Like throw down when the title is on the line. Shaun White is the !!! I hope he competes in 2020 in skateboarding because he’d win that too.
— Craig Mitchelldyer (@craigmdyer) February 14, 2018
Gold for knitting
Finland’s Olympic snowboarding coach wants to be efficient with his time so he knits at the top of the ski hill in between runs. Antti Koskinen believes it helps to deal with the stress of the Olympics. Other members of Finland’s team have also joined in on the fun. The goal is to make a blanket for their presidential couple’s newborn baby son.
We are #knitting again In Sochi we made a huge scarf, this time we are knitting a blanket for our presidential couple’s newborn son. #olympicteamfi #knittingteamfi #pyeongchang2018 #olympics #olympialaiset #pyeongchangfi pic.twitter.com/mwKLgh1h2j
— Olympic Team Finland (@OlympicTeamFI) February 12, 2018
What do you do when you waiting to #snowboard down the slalom at the #winterolympics2018 knit your Granny a jumper of course. pic.twitter.com/Hvsj2k9hRx
— Masato Jones (@masato_jones) February 12, 2018
Gold for romantic fashion
Norway’s curling team’s Valentine’s Day pants have become quite a topic. Team Ulsrud is known for its fashion sense and Wednesday during the men’s second session of play the team wore Valentine’s Day-inspired pants with hearts on them. The outfits weren’t enough to help on the ice as Norway lost 6-4 to Japan.
Gold for high winds
The Olympic Park was evacuated due to dangerously high winds on Wednesday with Olympic officials suspending certain activities. Spectators were warned to stay indoors and admission was suspended for the rest of Wednesday’s events. Winds were recorded as high as 40 miles per hour.
https://twitter.com/reedNews3LV/status/963673370352025600
https://twitter.com/CBCharlsie/status/963669547424284672
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