AT A GLANCE

Originally published Friday, February 22, 2002

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Before the race started, the word came down: Lazutina was disqualified from the competition where she was bidding for a record-setting 10th Olympic medal.

A blood test had shown high levels of performance-boosting hemoglobin -- although Russian officials said that was impossible. Lazutina had passed two previous Salt Lake City drug tests, and a pre-race test done by Russian officials put her hemoglobin below the legal limit, a team official said.

Germany wound up with the gold, while Norway won silver and Switzerland took bronze.

CURLING: The American women's curling team came within a stone's throw of a medal -- but instead wound up with nothing.

The U.S. team lost 9-5 in the bronze medal game to Canada. The Americans put up a strong fight against the 1998 gold medalists, closing within 7-5 in the eighth of 10 ends, before succumbing to the Canadians.

In the gold medal game, Britain beat Switzerland 4-3 with a dramatic finish that was decided in the 10th and final end.

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Silver never seemed so sour.

The powerful Americans, defending gold medalists, lost a 3-2 gold medal game to a Canadian team that it had beaten eight consecutive times. The U.S. team had beaten the Canadians four years ago in Nagano.

This time, the Canadians went ahead early, grabbed a two-goal lead in the second period, and held on for its nation's first hockey gold since the men won in 1952.

The bronze medal went to Sweden, which defeated Finland 2-1.

MEN'S GIANT SLALOM: U.S. skier Bode Miller took his second silver of the games with a history-making run. Skiing just recklessly enough, Miller took second in the giant slalom, slamming through gates and barely staying upright as he crossed the finish line.

He was in seventh place after the first run, but made up ground with his do-or-die second trip down the hill to become the first U.S. medalist ever in the men's giant slalom.

Miller finished 0.88 seconds behind Stephan Eberharter, who finally emerged from the shadow of fellow Austrian Hermann Maier -- out of the Olympics following a motorcycle accident -- by winning his third medal of the games.

Miller still has a shot at a third medal in the slalom.

Norway's Lasse Kjus won bronze in 2:24.32. Kjus was a silver medalist last week in the downhill.

NORDIC COMBINED: Two golds down.

One more to go?

Finland's Samppa Lajunen was in position for his third gold medal of the games after landing the longest jump of the day in the 120-kilometer ski jumping portion of the Nordic combined.

On Friday, he will start 15 seconds ahead of Ronny Ackermann of Germany. Finnish teammate Jaakko Tallus was third, and will start 18 seconds behind.

Lajunen has already won an individual and a relay medal.

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