Benjamin Karl's Golden Flex and Tribute to a Legend
In a stunning display of athleticism and emotion, Austrian snowboarder Benjamin Karl, aged 40, secured his second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the men's parallel giant slalom at the Milano Cortina Games. Competing in his fifth Olympics, Karl edged out South Korea's Kim Sang-kyum by a mere 0.19 seconds, adding this victory to his impressive collection of four Olympic medals, including silver from Vancouver 2010 and bronze from Sochi 2014.
Moments after crossing the finish line, Karl celebrated by ripping off his shirt, flexing to the cameras, and dropping face-down into the snow, pumping his arms in triumph. This iconic pose was not a spontaneous outburst but a carefully planned tribute to Austrian skiing legend Hermann Maier, Karl's childhood hero, who once celebrated in a similar fashion. "I always wanted to do the same," Karl explained. "I lost the chance in Beijing because I was so overwhelmed with emotions, and today I took the chance. I needed to wait 25 years to make this pose like Hermann Maier. Now I did it, and this is the crown of my career."
With retirement confirmed after this season, Karl admitted to feeling unusually calm during the race, carrying less pressure than many of his rivals. His victory was a fitting blend of triumph and tribute, marking an unforgettable moment in Olympic history.
Norway's Speed Skating Dominance and a Changing Guard
Elsewhere at the Games, Norway's Sander Eitrem, the 23-year-old world-record holder, delivered a commanding performance in the men's 5,000m speed skating event. He set an Olympic-record time of 6:03.95, finishing more than two and a half seconds clear of the field to claim gold. Czech teenager Metodej Jilek surged to silver, while Italy's Riccardo Lorello delighted the home crowd with bronze.
Competing in his first Olympics, Eitrem handled the pressure like a seasoned champion, quickly recovering from a poor start to power through the closing laps. His victory contributed to Norway's growing medal haul, making him the nation's third gold medallist of the Games and securing Norway's 29th Olympic speed skating title overall. "I put myself in a favourite position, so the pressure has been pretty high the last couple of days. I managed to pull it off," Eitrem remarked.
This result signals a potential shift in the 5,000m event, with the traditionally dominant Dutch team missing the podium in a second straight speed skating distance at these Games. While the Netherlands still lead the all-time medal table, Milano Cortina is hinting at a new era in Olympic speed skating.
Academic Pressures and Viral Moments
In a lighter moment, Canadian figure skater Madeline Schizas, aged 22, found herself balancing Olympic competition with university responsibilities. She discovered on Saturday that her sociology coursework was overdue, coinciding with her participation in the women's short programme of the team event. Schizas emailed her professor to explain the situation and shared the story on Instagram, where it quickly went viral. "Since it seems everyone was quite invested, I did get my extension lol," she posted before competing in the final free programme.
Medal Table and Key Events
As of the latest standings, Norway leads the medal table with three gold medals, followed by the United States with two. Other notable performances include Austria's success in snowboarding and Italy's strong showing across multiple disciplines. Looking ahead, key events to watch include:
- Curling mixed doubles semi-finals featuring Great Britain versus Sweden and the USA versus Italy.
- Alpine skiing with downhill and slalom races.
- Freestyle skiing women's slopestyle final, with Kirsty Muir competing for Great Britain.
- Speed skating women's 1000m final.
- Figure skating rhythm dance qualifiers, including favourites Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA.
- Snowboard big air, where Austria's Anna Gasser aims for her third consecutive gold.
- Ski jumping men's normal hill individual with two runs scheduled.
In other news, American skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a shocking crash during the women's downhill, requiring airlift and surgery for a broken leg. This incident highlighted the intense risks and drama of Olympic competition. Meanwhile, Germany's Max Langenhan broke the track record four times in a row to win gold in men's singles luge, continuing Germany's dominance in the event.
The Milano Cortina Games continue to deliver high-stakes action and heartfelt stories, capturing the spirit of winter sports on the global stage.
