• Gold medalist Chloe Kim poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the snowboard women's halfpipe at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza on Tuesday. | AFP-JIJI
    Gold medalist Chloe Kim poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the snowboard women's halfpipe at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza on Tuesday. | AFP-JIJI
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Team Japan’s speedskaters suffered another unexpected blow Tuesday after it was announced that Kei Saito had withdrawn from competition after testing positive for a banned substance. Saito denied that doping was intentional, but he has accepted the provisional suspension and left the Olympic village to minimize the “disturbance” to his teammates.

Japan’s remaining medal hopes rest with underdogs: Ayumu Hirano in the men’s halfpipe, Nao Kodaira in the ultra-competitive 1000m women’s speedskating event, and even Yuzuru Hanyu, whose projected finish in men’s figure skating has been downgraded to silver by one analytics firm.

But anything can happen.

Speedskater Kei Saito fails doping test at Pyeongchang Olympics

In a statement, the 21-year-old member of the short track speed skating team denied intentionally doping.

Short track speedskater Kei Saito (right) failed an out-of-competition doping test ahead of the speedskating competition at the Pyeongchang Games.
Short track speedskater Kei Saito (right) failed an out-of-competition doping test ahead of the speedskating competition at the Pyeongchang Games. | AFP-JIJI

Chloe Kim lives up to hype with halfpipe victory

Gold medal already in hand and Olympic dream fully realized, Chloe Kim could have turned her third and final run in the women’s snowboarding final into a victory lap. Only she didn’t.

Chloe Kim competes in the women
Chloe Kim competes in the women’s halfpipe final on Tuesday in Pyeongchang, South Korea. | REUTERS

Ayumu Hirano and Shaun White easily qualify for men’s halfpipe final

U.S. snowboard great Shaun White began his bid for a third Olympic gold in convincing style, easily separating himself at the top of qualifying for the men’s halfpipe at the Pyeongchang Winter Games on Tuesday.

Ayumu Hirano competes during the qualification round for the men
Ayumu Hirano competes during the qualification round for the men’s halfpipe competition at the Pyeongchang Games on Tuesday. | REUTERS

Canada trounces Finland, remains unbeaten

Highlight summaryThe Canadians are playing on their favorite stage at the Olympics, and their top line — captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Megan Agosta and Melodie Daoust — is peaking at just the right time.

Canada
Canada’s Jillian Saulnier scores a second-period goal against Finland’s Noora Raty in a women’s hockey preliminary round game on Tuesday in Gangneung, South Korea. | AP

Natalie Geisenberger retains Olympic luge title 

Natalie Geisenberger refuses to call herself the best women’s luge athlete ever. The history books may do it for her. Germany has yet another Olympic gold medalist, after Geisenberger prevailed in the women’s luge final on Tuesday — her second consecutive title

Germany
Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger competes in the women’s luge final at the Olympic Sliding Centre on Tuesday. | REUTERS

Norway’s Johannes Hoesfolt Klaebo triumphs in men’s sprint classic

Johannes Hoesfolt Klaebo powered to a stunning victory in the men’s sprint classic on Tuesday to claim another cross-country gold medal for Norway with a dominant performance in the final.

Norway
Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo competes in the men’s sprint classic on Tuesday in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Klaebo won the gold. | REUTERS

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics: The day in pictures

A fan looks on in the women
A fan looks on in the women’s luge singles run 2 at the Olympic Sliding Centre. | AFP-JIJI
Gold medalist Chloe Kim poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the snowboard women
Gold medalist Chloe Kim poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the snowboard women’s halfpipe at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza on Tuesday. | AFP-JIJI
Russia
Russia’s Anastasia Bryzgalova shouts for instructions during the curling mixed doubles bronze medal game. | AFP-JIJI
Russia
Russia’s Pavel Trikhichev falls during the men’s alpine combined downhill at the Jeongseon Alpine Center. | AFP=JIJI
Children attend the short track speed skating event during the Pyeongchang at the Gangneung Ice Arena.
Children attend the short track speed skating event during the Pyeongchang at the Gangneung Ice Arena. | AFP-JIJI
Two fans of Japan
Two fans of Japan’s speedskaters attend the men’s 1,500 meters speedskating race . | AP
France
France’s Martin Fourcade competes at the shooting range to win gold in the men’s 12.5km pursuit biathlon event. | AFP-JIJI
A man blows a conch during the ceremony before the start of the mixed doubles final in which Canada and Switzerland competed.
A man blows a conch during the ceremony before the start of the mixed doubles final in which Canada and Switzerland competed. | REUTERS
Alexis Pinturault of France, Marcel Hirscher of Austria, and Victor Muffat-Jeandet of France react during the men
Alexis Pinturault of France, Marcel Hirscher of Austria, and Victor Muffat-Jeandet of France react during the men’s alpine skiing combined victory ceremony at Jeongseon Alpine Centre. | REUTERS
Lizzy Yarnold of Britain in action during the women
Lizzy Yarnold of Britain in action during the women’s skeleton training at the Olympic Sliding Centre. | REUTERS
North Korean cheerleaders wave the Unified Korea flags after the women
North Korean cheerleaders wave the Unified Korea flags after the women’s preliminary round ice hockey match between Sweden and Unified Korea at the Kwandong Hockey Centre. | AFP-JIJI

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics: Links we like

Who to watch on Wednesday, Day 6

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