Feb. 26 Olympic Preview

No more figure skating!!!! Everyone that has been frustrated that figure skating has been the focus of NBC's coverage, it has, but it is now over and the last three days are all about some the most exciting events in the Winter Olympics. Apolo Ohno returns to the stage tonight and will look for medals number eight and nine. With three short track races at night, four more medals are being given away including women's curling where if Canada wins "O, Canada" will be sung by every fan in the building like last night's women's hockey gold medal ceremony.
Biathlon: Men's 4x7.5k Relay
What's a day at the Olympics without biathlon? The nineteen team relay will have all the focus on Team Norway. Disappointment can not even describe how bad the men's biathlon team for Norway has been compared to expectations. With only three medals in the Olympics and only one being a gold from Emil Hegle Svendsen in 20k individual start race. Biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjoerndalen would like to end his hard luck in Vancouver with a team gold for Norway.
2006 Torino Gold Medalists: Germany
American and Canadian Team Entered
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Norway
Silver: France
Bronze: Sweden

Alpine Skiing: Women's Slalom
This is the last shot at Whistler Creekside for the women and it will be a showdown between the European skiers and Lindsey Vonn. Vonn has had two events end in crash and two end in medals, she is hoping to not crash and earn a medal today. Her competition comes from Maria and Susanne Riesch of Germany, Kathrin Zettel and Marlies Schlid of Austria along with a boatload more of top skiers looking to claim a medal in the final Olympic event.
2006 Torino Gold Medalist: Anja Paerson (Sweden)
Top American Hopeful: Lindsey Vonn
Top Canadian Hopeful: Anna Goodman
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Maria Riesch (Germany)
Silver: Kathrin Zettel (Austria)
Bronze: Tina Maze (Slovenia)

Snowboarding: Women's Parallel Giant Slalom
The snowboarding event most people are not familiar with includes a head-to-head race in a type of slalom course. This disclipine is dominated more by Europeans than the Americans. The top contenders for a medal in this event are Nicolien Sauerbreij of Netherlands and Amelie Kober of Germany along with many other competitiors from the European Alpine countries.
2006 Torino Gold Medalist: Daniela Meuli (Switzerland)
Top American Hopeful: Michelle Gorgone
Top Canadian Hopeful: Alexa Loo
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Nicolien Sauerbreij (Netherlands)
Silver: Marion Kriener (Austria)
Bronze: Amelie Kober (Germany)

Women's Curling
The national sport of Canada will be supported in full force at the Vancouver Olympic Center tonight. Canada faces defending gold medalist Sweden in the gold medal game. The gold medal match will serve as an appetizer in Canada tonight for the men's hockey semi against Slovakia. No matter the circumstances, the Canadians know how to support their athletes and tonight will be a great example. China plays Switzerland for the bronze medal.
2006 Torino Gold Medalists: Sweden
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Canada
Silver: Sweden
Bronze: China

Short Track: Men's 500 m
The rivalry between Apolo Anton Ohno and the Koreans is renewed tonight. Ohno has not won a gold in short track in Vancouver but has won silver and bronze and is the defending gold medalist in this event. The Korean team hates Ohno with a passion and have won both short track golds for the men so far. This is like the 100m in track and field, the short track 500m is a quick, intense race and this is a precursor to the relay final later in the night.
2006 Torino Gold Medalist: Apolo Anton Ohno (USA)
Top American Hopeful: Ohno
Top Canadian Hopeful: Charles Hamelin
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Apolo Anton Ohno (USA)
Silver: Sung Si-Bak (Korea)
Bronze: Lee Ho-Suk (Korea)

Short Track: Women's 1000m
The break in between the men's 500m and the men's relay is this event which will not have the plotline like the men's race but does have an American medal hopeful in Katherine Reutter, who is second in the World Cup standings. China's Wang Meng is the woman to beat tonight.
2006 Torino Gold Medalist: Sun Yu-Jin (Korea)
Top American Hopeful: Katherine Reutter
Top Canadian Hopeful: Kalyna Roberge
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Wang Meng (China)
Silver: Zhou Yang (China)
Bronze: Lee Eun-Byul (Korea)

Short Track: Men's 5000m Relay
This is tonight's marquee event. Depending on how intense the 500m race is will determine how intense the relay will be. The Ohno vs. Koreans plot will be in out in full force along with the chance for Canada to finally get a short track medal out of the Hamelin brothers. Also involved in the race will be China and France.
2006 Torino Gold Medalists: Korea
American and Canadian Team in Final
Projected Medalists:
Gold: Korea
Silver: USA
Bronze: Canada

The main focus of Canada will not be on short track, but on Canada Hockey Place as Team Canada takes on Slovakia in the men's hockey semifinals. Canadian fans are on a high right now after the women's hockey gold and a possible women's curling gold today. Slovakia has already beaten Russia and Sweden in the tournament so Canada will have been focused for all sixty minutes.
The other semifinal features the USA and Finland in what will be a hard fought battle between goalie Ryan Miller and the high-scoring Finnish forwards. After a scare against Switzerland, the Americans want to make the final and take on Canada for a second time.