Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik of North Korea in action during the pair free skating competition finals at Gangneung Ice Arena. | REUTERS

Olympics / Winter Olympics

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics Day 7: Ready to do business

Yes, there was a giant slalom, the curling and the announcement that Shaun White and Ayumu White would be taking a shot at competing at the Summer Games. But for Japan, in general it was breather of a day ahead of the bigger events on the horizon.

Oh, and the cheerleaders returned to watch more hockey.

Bittersweet Valentine’s gift fires Noriaki Kasai up for large hill

Noriaki Kasai, who thought the conditions for last weekend’s normal hill were poor enough that it could have been called off, is more confident for Saturday than he was for the normal hill.

Noriaki Kasai looks on after competing in the men’s normal hill ski jumping competition at the Pyeongchang Olympics on Feb. 10. | AFP-JIJI

Ted-Jan Bloemen eclipses Jorrit Bergsma’s minutes-old Olympic record, captures 10,000-meter gold

Canada’s Ted-Jan Bloemen captures the gold medal in the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating at Gangneung Oval on Thursday night in Olympic record time.

Hirano, White consider runs at skateboarding gold in 2020

A day after claiming his second straight Winter Olympic halfpipe silver medal, teenage snowboarder Ayumu Hirano said Thursday he is considering a bid to compete in skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Silver medalist Ayumu Hirano (left) stands with winner Shaun White (center) and bronze medalist Scotty James during Wednesday’s medal ceremony for the men’s halfpipe. | REUTERS

Upbeat Yuzuru Hanyu gears up for short program

Yuzuru Hanyu says he’s ready to skate.

Reigning champion Yuzuru Hanyu practices for the Olympic men’s figure skating competition at Gangneung Ice Arena on Monday. The competition is scheduled to begin Friday. | REUTERS

Japan women’s curling squad records two more victories

Yurika Yoshida (left), Chinami Yoshida (right) and Yumi Suzuki (rear) compete for Japan during the women’s curling competition at the Pyeongchang Olympics. Japan defeated Denmark 8-5 on Thursday in Gangneung, South Korea. | KYODO

North Korean cheerleaders attend South Korea-Czech Republic men’s match

North Korea’s cheerleading squad made an unexpected appearance at the South Korean men’s hockey game against the Czech Republic on Thursday, marking its first attendance at an Olympic event not featuring a North Korean athlete.

North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic-South Korea men’s ice hockey match in Gangneung, South Korea, on Thursday. | REUTERS

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics: The day in pictures

Mikaela Shiffrin raises the U.S. flag as she poses on the podium during the victory ceremony for the women’s giant slalom at the Yongpyong Alpine Centre. | AFP-JIJI

Nico Walther of Germany corners in his men’s two-man bobsleigh training session at the Olympic Sliding Centre. | AFP-JIJI

Germany’s Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot react after competing in the pair free skating of the figure skating event at the Gangneung Ice Arena. | AFP-JIJI

Canada forward Marie-Philip Poulin (29) battles with United States forward Monique Lamoureux-Morando (7) as Canada goaltender Genevieve Lacasse, center, had her helmet taken off during the third period of a preliminary round women’s hockey game. | AP

A close up of the nails of Eve Muirhead of Britain at the curling women — A close-up of the nails of Eve Muirhead of Britain at the curling women’s round robin event between Britain and the U.S. | REUTERS

A Norwegian fan reacts as Norway win gold and bronze in the women’s 10km freestyle cross-country competition at the Alpensia cross country ski centre. | AFP-JIJI

Kalle Koblet of Switzerland, Jan Kubicik of the Czech Republic, Konstantin Schad of Germany, Kevin Hill of Canada, and Alessandro Haemmerle of Austria run the course during the men — Kalle Koblet of Switzerland, Jan Kubicik of the Czech Republic, Konstantin Schad of Germany, Kevin Hill of Canada and Alessandro Haemmerle of Austria run the course during the men’s snowboard cross elimination round at Phoenix Snow Park. | AP

USA’s Jessica Diggins crosses the finish line in the women’s 10km freestyle cross-country competition at the Alpensia cross country ski centre. | AFP-JIJI

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics: Links we like

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