2026 Winter Olympics - discussion thread

[LTU_btc]

Germany is the favourite. but with performances like those against the USA and Latvia, the match against France will not be easy.
we will know more on Tuesday after the match against France. either the quarter-finals await or the journey home for Germany.

For me it's difficult to expect upsets tomorrow. Maybe only Denmark can give some fight for Czechia, but in general, I don't have questions about winners. Offcourse, there won't be double digit results like in USA or Canada games.
Now watched women semifinal between Sweden and USA and what I can say - just send USA and Canada straight to the final without any fight because it's just different level

Did you see the scene after her race, when her rivals bowed to her and congratulated her?
Truly a true Olympic spirit and an example to young people of how to respect their rivals in sport.

I guess it's quite common thing in Olympics. Watched men slalom today and weather conditions was so bad - heavy snow, no visibility that only 44 from 96 athletes managed to finish. Some were 15-25 seconds behind leader as their only goal was to reach finish somehow.
While on second round weather conditions improved, but Atle Lie McGrath' who was leading after first round failed to reach finish. His reaction and frustration is understandable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvp20ZtOPyc

[Daniel91]

Germany is the favourite. but with performances like those against the USA and Latvia, the match against France will not be easy.
we will know more on Tuesday after the match against France. either the quarter-finals await or the journey home for Germany.

For me it's difficult to expect upsets tomorrow. Maybe only Denmark can give some fight for Czechia, but in general, I don't have questions about winners. Offcourse, there won't be double digit results like in USA or Canada games.
Now watched women semifinal between Sweden and USA and what I can say - just send USA and Canada straight to the final without any fight because it's just different level

Did you see the scene after her race, when her rivals bowed to her and congratulated her?
Truly a true Olympic spirit and an example to young people of how to respect their rivals in sport.

I guess it's quite common thing in Olympics. Watched men slalom today and weather conditions was so bad - heavy snow, no visibility that only 44 from 96 athletes managed to finish. Some were 15-25 seconds behind leader as their only goal was to reach finish somehow.
While on second round weather conditions improved, but Atle Lie McGrath' who was leading after first round failed to reach finish. His reaction and frustration is understandable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvp20ZtOPyc

Yes, I watched it live and I can understand how frustrating it is.
You wait 4 years for your Olympic appearance, you're leading after your first race, you're close to an Olympic gold medal and eternal glory and then you make a mistake and you lose everything.
When McGrath threw his skis over the fence and walked off the track in anger and frustration, I could really understand and sympathize with him.
You can't see so much emotion anywhere else than at the Olympics.
Did you watch the figure skating yesterday? So much emotion and great performances and the Japanese mixed pair were truly perfect.

[Italian Panic]

Today round in female speed skating, the best team is the canadian, isabelle weidermann is a top speeder and make difference.

But USA team is never to be understimate because giorgia birkeland is fast too, with incredible technique.

[TopTort777]

Some crazy games there were in ice hockey group stage. Team Germany has been doing bad this year. They even got silver medals in 2018 Olympics and on 2023 IIHF. Often finish as 5-8th overall place. Btw, this year group stage is weird. Previously 2 teams were advancing to play-off. Now in some groups 1 teams goes immediately to 1/4, and rest 3 play in play-off, and in some groups 2 teams immediately go to 1/4, and rest 2 to play-off (when they should have finished their performance on this Olympic games already aka go home). You can be last in your group and still advance to qualification play-off.

that is also very rare at a World Cup or the Olympics. with one win and two defeats, still in second place is down to a lot of luck. we can thank Denmark for
helping us secure second place.  now it's all or nothing for Germany tomorrow in the play-off game against France.
Germany is the favourite. but with performances like those against the USA and Latvia, the match against France will not be easy.
we will know more on Tuesday after the match against France. either the quarter-finals await or the journey home for Germany.

I am seeing this first time. Look at mens ice hockey group A. All 4 teams are being advanced to next tournament stage. France with 0 points goes to qualification play-off. I am like wtf? Normally, such teams drops to a lower tier and next year or olympics have to quality to even get into group stage. Same is with Italy. 0 points on group stage, but goes further.

Or I am used to IIHF and did not pay much attention to Olympics ice hockey team ranking lately, but imho teams with 0 points at group stage should not get to next stage. They need either to add one more group to qualifications, or make 2 groups of 6 teams.

[Jostern]

Today round in female speed skating, the best team is the canadian, isabelle weidermann is a top speeder and make difference.

But USA team is never to be understimate because giorgia birkeland is fast too, with incredible technique.

Yeah, Today’s game are very impressive, I was very impressed with the Female Skating as well, I think there are also impressive team more like the USA, and China as well are a team that are very impressive, Team Canada won but that doesn’t make any difference that they’re the best, it could possibly make so much difference with a good performance.

I would never underestimate the team USA because they’re an unbelievable team when it comes to the skating championship, and it seems other teams are making good rounds in the competition for the medal table, such an impressive Tournament.

[Soonandwaite]

Germany was the favourite and won today's playoff match against France 5-1. now the German team has to face Slovakia. if they win there, the team will be in
the semi-finals against     in the other match today, the favourites from Switzerland beat Italy 3-0 and now have to beat Finland on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.


source : my tv

and now watch biathlon. will Norway be Olympic champions or the French?

[LTU_btc]

Did you watch the figure skating yesterday? So much emotion and great performances and the Japanese mixed pair were truly perfect.

Figure skating is sports that I follow least in Olympics, not my cup of tea. But as always, it delivers lot of great performances, stories and often raises questions about work of judges.

Germany was the favourite and won today's playoff match against France 5-1. now the German team has to face Slovakia. if they win there, the team will be in
the semi-finals against     in the other match today, the favourites from Switzerland beat Italy 3-0 and now have to beat Finland on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.


and now watch biathlon. will Norway be Olympic champions or the French?

Hockey so far didn't delivered much drama, only Czechia - Denmark game was more interesting. Strangely, all 5 goals of game were scored in 2nd period. Now only Sweden - Latvia, maybe Latvia will be able to give some fight. But real stuff will begin tomorrow with 1/4 games.
About biathlon, crazy that France won race despite that they were only team from Top 6 who had penalty lap. Seems that they had much more speed. It was great race, everything was decided at last shooting.
Another day without gold for China. I just remind that 4 years ago they had 4 golden medals.

[TopTort777]

It seems that this time Norway are winning Olympic Winter games again. 5 days left, they have 14 gold medals already, enough time to repeat previous Olympics record of 16 gold medals. That is going to be their 4th time in row they take most gold medals (and I always thought that USA and Germany get most medals during winter games). Btw Germany imho are doing bad this year. Only 5 gold medals, when they usually get around 10 and finish Olympic Winter games second or third by total number of medals.

[Soonandwaite]

there was almost a real sensation in ice hockey today. until shortly before the end, Czechia was leading Canada 3-2. In the 57th minute, Canada scored to make it 3-3
and the game went into overtime. Mitch Marner scored the winning goal for Team Canada 1:22 minutes into overtime. in the second game,
the German team embarrassed themselves against Slovakia, losing the match 2-6. in the third match today, Switzerland leads Finland 2-0 after 52 minutes.

[LTU_btc]

Until today it wasn't successful Olympics for alpine skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, but finally today she won her first gold medal in slalom.
Finally China got their first golden medals, today they took it in men slopestyle snowboarding and women arealia freestyle skiing.

there was almost a real sensation in ice hockey today. until shortly before the end, Czechia was leading Canada 3-2. In the 57th minute, Canada scored to make it 3-3
and the game went into overtime. Mitch Marner scored the winning goal for Team Canada 1:22 minutes into overtime. in the second game,
the German team embarrassed themselves against Slovakia, losing the match 2-6. in the third match today, Switzerland leads Finland 2-0 after 52 minutes.

Canada - Czechia was iconic game, hats off to Czechia for their performance. But it's crazy that Czechia scored their 3rd goal with 6 players on ice and nobody didn't noticed, niether refs or someone from Canada:
https://www.reddit.com/r/olympics/comments/1r8bago/wait_czechia_had_6_skaters_on_their_32_goal/
It would be huge scandal if Canada would lost game because of this.
Defending Olympic champions Finland had not inspiring performance, but in 3rd period they made comeback from 0:2 to 2:2 and won game in OT. I just want to say that I don't really like 3 on 3 format in overime.
Haven't checked pre-game odds, but expected equal game between Slovakia and Germany, but Slovakia got such easy win.
USA - Sweden another crazy interesting game, even if there weren't many goals. Sweden managed to send game to OT with late goal, but id din't took long for USA to score in OT. And like I said, I don't like such OT format 3 on 3.
So, we have semifinals Canada - Finland and USA - Slovakia