Day 7 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

By Aditi Sangal, Matias Grez, Ben Church, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton and Patrick Sung, CNN

Updated 6:11 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022
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2:31 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

USA's first gold medalist of Beijing 2022 Lindsey Jacobellis will be back in action on Saturday

From CNN's Ben Church

Lindsey Jacobellis won the US' first gold medal of Beijing 2022 in the women's snowboard cross.
Lindsey Jacobellis won the US' first gold medal of Beijing 2022 in the women's snowboard cross. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Fresh off the back of winning Team USA's first gold medal of this year's Winter Games on Wednesday, Lindsey Jacobellis will be back in action at Beijing 2022.

The women's snowboard cross champion will line up for the mixed team event on Saturday in the hope of adding yet more success.

After near misses at previous Games, the 36-year-old finally topped the podium at her fifth Winter Olympics earlier this week and was elated by her achievement.

It's been a story of redemption for Jacobellis, who infamously won an Olympic silver in 2006 after throwing away her lead while attempting to showboat.

Safe to say there were no such mistakes this time around.

"This feels incredible because this level that all the women are riding at is a lot higher than it was 16 years ago," Jacobellis told reporters after winning the gold. "So I felt like I was a winner just that I made it into finals, because that's been a challenge every time.

"All these ladies out here have the potential to win and today it just worked out for me that my starts were good, that my gliding was great," she added.

2:31 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

Here's a look at the gold medal wins from Day 7 at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

From CNN's Homero DeLaFuente

European countries dominated the podium across most events on Day 7 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Take a look at who won the seven gold medals at stake and where the competition stands so far.

Alpine Skiing: Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami won the women’s super-G event.

Biathlon: Norway's Marte Olsbu Røiseland captured the gold in the women’s 7.5km sprint event.

Cross-Country Skiing: Finland's Iivo Niskanen took the top spot at men’s 15km classic event.

Short Track Speed Skating: Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands clinched a thrilling, photo-finish gold in the women’s 1,000m event.

Skeleton: Christopher Grotheer's gold gave Germany its first ever medal in the men's event.

Snowboard: Japan's Ayumu Hirano impressed on his way to the men’s snowboard halfpipe gold.

Speed Skating: Sweden's Nils van der Poel captured the gold in men’s 10,000m event. 

Here's the official Olympic medal count so far.

2:17 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

Some of the best photos from Day 7 at Beijing 2022

From CNN's Will Lanzoni

As Day 7 of the Winter Olympics wraps up, take a look back at a few of the best photos from Friday.

US snowboarding legend Shaun White becomes emotional after his final Olympic run in the halfpipe final on February 11. White, the Olympic champion in 2006, 2010 and 2018, finished fourth this time around.
US snowboarding legend Shaun White becomes emotional after his final Olympic run in the halfpipe final on February 11. White, the Olympic champion in 2006, 2010 and 2018, finished fourth this time around. (Chang W. Lee/The New York Times/Redux)

In this photo taken with a slow shutter speed, Germany ski jumper Karl Geiger competes in the men's large hill event on Feb. 11.
In this photo taken with a slow shutter speed, Germany ski jumper Karl Geiger competes in the men's large hill event on Feb. 11. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami celebrates on the podium with her gold medal for winning the women's super-G on Feb. 11
Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami celebrates on the podium with her gold medal for winning the women's super-G on Feb. 11 (Mimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images)

Dutch speed skater Suzanne Schulting crosses the finish line just ahead of South Korea's Choi Min-jeong to win the women's 1,000m short track final on Feb. 11. Schulting also won the gold four years ago at the PyeongChang Games.
Dutch speed skater Suzanne Schulting crosses the finish line just ahead of South Korea's Choi Min-jeong to win the women's 1,000m short track final on Feb. 11. Schulting also won the gold four years ago at the PyeongChang Games. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images)

Austria's Janine Flock competes in the women's skeleton event on Feb. 11.
Austria's Janine Flock competes in the women's skeleton event on Feb. 11. (Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images)

See more of the best photos from the Games so far.

6:11 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

Mikaela Shiffrin on her Olympics performance: "The girl who failed ... could also fly"

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Mikaela Shiffrin skis in the super-G at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Shiffrin posted this picture along with her statement on Twitter on Friday.
Mikaela Shiffrin skis in the super-G at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Shiffrin posted this picture along with her statement on Twitter on Friday. (Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)

Days after Mikaela Shiffrin crashed out of two events at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in the space of three days, the 26-year-old US skiing star tweeted about experiencing "disappointment and heartbreak" and getting back up.

"The girl who failed ... could also fly," she wrote in a statement posted on Twitter. "It's wonderful to train and compete alongside all of these courageous and incredible women, who have overcome so much in their life, just to get here. But being here can really hurt too."

She added, "There's a lot of disappointment and heartbreak going around in the finish area but there's also a lot of support."

Shiffrin was aiming to become the first US skier to win three gold medals at a single Winter Olympics.

"It's a lot to digest in just one event...let alone the whole rollercoaster ride of an entire Olympics," she wrote.

After her expressing her disappointment, Shiffrin struck a resilient note.

"Guess I better hang on tight to the coaster cause we have plenty still to come. First DH training starts tomorrow!" she continued. "Sending my love to those who are feeling that striking hurt of defeat... only let it beat you down for a little bit, and then you stand up again and throw a few punches back. 💪💪"

She expressed her gratitude to her team for supporting her through triumphs and tough times and gave a shout out to the athletes who displayed stellar performances at the Games.

"Today was a good day, so I'm just gonna let it be that," she concluded.

1:55 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

Here's the timeline of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva's failed drug test

From CNN Sport staff

The ROC's Kamila Valieva in action during the figure skating team event on February 7.
The ROC's Kamila Valieva in action during the figure skating team event on February 7. (Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images/Getty Images)

The doping scandal surrounding Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) figure skater, has rocked the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

She was allowed to compete despite testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine, which is commonly used to treat people with angina. The failed test only came to light during the Winter Olympics, and it remains unclear if the drug test controversy will see the gold medal revoked.

Here's a timeline of the events we know so far:

Dec. 25, 2021: Drug sample is taken from Valieva at the 2022 Russian Figure Skating Championships in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Jan. 15, 2021: Valieva wins 2022 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.

Feb. 1, 2022: Valieva arrives in Beijing for the Winter Olympics.

Feb. 7, 2022: Valieva helps the ROC win gold in the figure skating team event at Beijing 2022, landing the first ever quadruple jump by a woman in Olympic competition.

Feb. 7, 2022: A lab accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Stockholm, Sweden, confirms an adverse analytical finding in Valieva's sample, WADA said.

Some background: The Russian Anti-Doping Agency's (RUSADA) laboratory is currently suspended by WADA. Hence, testing is outsourced and carried out by WADA-accredited laboratories. In this instance, testing was designated to the Stockholm laboratory.

Feb. 8, 2022: Valieva is notified and provisionally suspended by RUSADA.

Feb. 8, 2022: The medal ceremony for the figure skating team event is postponed. Later, reports emerge of a failed drugs test by a member of the ROC team.

Feb. 9, 2022: Valieva challenges provisional suspension; RUSADA's Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee lifts the suspension.

Feb. 10, 2022 : Valieva trains as normal at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing.

Feb. 11, 2022: The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirms Valieva failed a test for a banned substance in December, adding it will appeal RUSADA's decision to lift the suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on behalf of the IOC. WADA and the International Skating Union (ISU) also said they will appeal.

Valieva is scheduled to compete at two other events at the Beijing Games — one on February 15 and one on February 17.

1:10 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

Nathan Chen 'truly hopes' medal ceremony will take place amid Russian teenager drug test controversy

From CNN's Coy Wire

Nathan Chen sat down with CNN to discuss his gold medal win and his hopes to do the medal ceremony for the team competition.
Nathan Chen sat down with CNN to discuss his gold medal win and his hopes to do the medal ceremony for the team competition. CNN

Newly-crowned Olympic champion Nathan Chen has told CNN that he still hopes to stand on the podium to celebrate Team USA's figure skating silver in Beijing.

Chen and his US teammates missed the opportunity to collect their medals from the figure skating team event on Tuesday due to an ongoing doping scandal involving Russian athlete Kamila Valieva.

The US was beaten to gold by Valieva and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) on Monday, but the medal ceremony was delayed as news emerged that a member of the ROC's team had tested positive for a prohibited substance.

"The medal ceremony is definitely a very special part of the Olympics, and for those that should get a medal, I truly hope that they can," Chen told CNN's Coy Wire.

"Whatever happens, happens. But I do hope that we will have this opportunity to share that as a team."

You can read the full interview here, as the ROC awaits a decision on what will happen next.

1:07 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

IOC and WADA have filed their applications to appeal the decision to lift Kamila Valieva’s doping suspension

From CNN’s Aleks Klosok in London

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

The Court of Arbitration (CAS) has received applications from both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealing the Russian Anti-Doping Agency’s (RUSADA) decision to lift a provisional suspension on figure skater Kamila Valieva following a doping violation.

“The applications were received at the CAS Ad Hoc Division in Beijing at 20:45 and 22:20 respectively, on Friday, 11 February 2022 (time of Beijing)," CAS said in a statement, adding that the applications have been registered and that they will be consolidated.

Some background: Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) figure skater, was allowed to compete despite testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine, which is commonly used to treat people with angina. The failed test only came to light during the Winter Olympics, and it remains unclear if the drug test controversy will see the ROC's team figure skating gold medal revoked. Valieva is scheduled to compete at two other events at the Beijing Games — one on February 15 and one on February 17.

“A Panel of arbitrators will be appointed shortly to decide the matter. The Panel will issue procedural directions, including directions for a hearing. The date and time of the CAS decision will be announced after the hearing,” the statement concluded.

12:11 p.m. ET, February 11, 2022

German one-two in the men's skeleton as Christopher Grotheer takes the gold

From CNN's Patrick Sung

From left, Germany's Christopher Grotheer and fellow countryman Axel Jungk celebrate finishing first and second in the men's skeleton on February 11. The medals were Germany's first ever in men's skeleton, despite being a sliding sport powerhouse.
From left, Germany's Christopher Grotheer and fellow countryman Axel Jungk celebrate finishing first and second in the men's skeleton on February 11. The medals were Germany's first ever in men's skeleton, despite being a sliding sport powerhouse. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)

Germany's Christopher Grotheer won gold with a time of 4:01.01, while fellow countryman Axel Jungk finished 0.66 seconds behind in second place to seal Germany's first ever medals in men's skeleton on Friday at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre.

Yan Wengang finished 0.1 seconds behind Jungk to win China's first ever medal in a sliding sport — and in the process become the second man not from Europe or North America to stand on an Olympic skeleton podium, after South Korea's Yun Sung-bin won gold at PyeongChang 2018.

A two-time world champion in men's skeleton, Grotheer couldn't hide his excitement.

"Unbelievable. I am so proud. I can't understand what's happened today," he said after his win. "I went late to bed and I slept to 9:00. It was OK. But it was a really, really long day and a big time to think about tonight."
Grotheer's compatriot Jungk was even more explicit in his elation: "It's crazy, it's unbelievable. I am nearly speechless. I am so f***ing happy to call this wonderful medal my own for the rest of my life."

Grotheer's triumph put Germany on 100 gold medals in Winter Olympic history, making them the third National Olympic Committee to reach the number after Norway (138) and the United States (109).

10:32 a.m. ET, February 11, 2022

Even a flying Swede can't stop Canada cruising into ice hockey semifinals

From CNN Sport staff

"I believe I can fly."
"I believe I can fly." (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

You should expect the unexpected at any Olympic event, but Sweden's Jessica Adolfsson appears to have surprised even her own teammates with her powers of levitation here...

Despite her magical attempts, Adolfsson could do little to stop Canada thrashing Sweden 11-0 in the women's ice hockey quarterfinals on Friday.

Canada will progress to Monday's semifinal but do not yet know their next opponent.