Two days after losing the 1,000 metres on the final corner, the American again finished second in the 1,500 metres. But this time silver turned to gold as South Korean Kim Dong-Sung was disqualified for cutting across Ohno in the final stages.
The American crowd’s boos turned to cheers while the Korean — who won the 1,000 metres in Nagano four years ago — threw his national flag to the ice in disgust.
Ohno had just smiled after being brought down by Korean Ahn Hyun-Soo in a four-man tangle while leading the 1,000 metres. This time he was glad for the “good call”.
“They can just go throw me in the desert and bury me. I got a gold medal, I’m good now,” he said.
If ever a gold was written into the script of a Winter Olympics, it was for Jim Shea in Salt Lake City and he took his designated place on the podium by winning the men’s skeleton.
A month after his grandfather, a double speedskating gold medallist in 1932, was killed in a car crash at the age of 91, the American grabbed victory by 0.05 seconds from Austrian world champion Martin Rettl.
Shea carried the torch with his father James at the opening ceremony and recited the athletes’ oath, just as grandfather John had 70 years ago.
Janica Kostelic ignited huge celebrations in her native Croatia when she negotiated a treacherous piste to win the women’s slalom, her second gold of the Games.
The 20-year-old, already the combined champion and super-G silver medallist, beat France’s Laure Pequegnot by 0.07 seconds on a slope she called “possibly the worst slalom course I’ve ever skied on. It was full of bumps and holes”.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen proved himself the master of biathlon by winning his fourth gold of the Games, anchoring the 4x7.5 km relay quartet to an upset win over champions Germany.
Steady snow fell in the morning, making shooting doubly difficult, but the first three in the Norwegian team excelled to give Bjoerndalen a minute’s lead which he did not squander.
Norway have equalled their previous highest tally of 10 golds recorded at the past two Winter Games while Germany, thanks to gold and silver in the women’s 1,500 meters speedskating, have broken the record for the number of medals won at a single Winter Olympics.
Anni Friesinger, the pin-up of women’s speed skating, broke her own world record to win the 1,500 metres ahead of team mate Sabine Voelker.
Germany have 31 medals, including nine golds. The previous record of 29 was set by the Soviet Union in the 1988 Calgary Games and equalled by Germany in Nagano four years ago.
The US also have nine golds after American Tristan Gale won the inaugural women’s skeleton event ahead of compatriot Lea Ann Parsley with Alex Coomber giving Britain its first medal of these Games by finishing third.
Qualifiers Belarus pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Olympic ice hockey history by beating Sweden 4-3 to advance to the semifinals, thanks to a terrible mistake by netminder Tommy Salo late in the third period.
Russia edged past defending champions Czech Republic 1-0 and will play the host nation in a re-run of the 1980 Miracle on Ice after the US beat qualifiers Germany 5-0.
Canada beat Finland 2-1 and will play Belarus.
Medals table at the end of the 13th day of competition at the Winter Olympics Wednesday:
G S B T
Norway 10 6 2 18
Germany 9 15 7 31
US 9 9 8 26
Russia 5 5 3 13
France 3 4 2 9
Italy 3 2 4 9
Finland 3 2 1 6
Switzerland 3 1 3 7
Netherlands 2 3 0 5
Canada 2 1 6 9
Croatia 2 1 0 3
South Korea 2 1 0 3
Australia 2 0 0 2
Spain 2 0 0 2
Austria 1 4 9 14
China 1 2 2 5
Czech Republic 1 0 1 2
Estonia 1 0 1 2
Sweden 0 1 3 4
Bulgaria 0 1 2 3
Japan 0 1 1 2
Poland 0 1 1 2
Belarus 0 0 1 1
Britain 0 0 1 1
Slovenia 0 0 1 1
Note: Two golds, no silver awarded in the figure skating pairs programme. Two silvers, no bronze awarded in men’s cross-country combined pursuit.—Reuters