Day 2 At The Winter Olympics: One Rink, One Night, One Shock
Estonia’s first-ever Olympic curling win wasn’t just an upset. It was a reminder of why the Games still surprise us. Edition #320
Welcome to Olympic Curling, Estonia.
This was one of those moments that make the Olympics what they are. Estonia picked up its first-ever Olympic curling win, and it was a full-on shocker against Sweden, an established curling nation in the world.
To put this in perspective, Estonia essentially operates with one true curling rink back home. Sweden has generations of infrastructure, coaching, and a deep competitive pipeline. This was a win against the entire imbalance of the sport.
What made it even better was the context. Just a day earlier, Estonia had already turned heads by rallying against Switzerland, forcing an extra end before eventually falling short. Even that performance felt like a fairytale for a program this new to the Olympic stage. This win? That’s something else entirely.
Curling is a game of inches and nerves, and somehow, Estonia had both.
Nobody circled this matchup expecting history. But that’s the beauty of curling, and honestly, the beauty of the Olympics. Sometimes all it takes is one rink, one team, and one night where everything lines up.
Around the Games
UNDEFEATED: Great Britain and the United States are both undefeated in curling so far.
Men’s Snowboard Big Air Qualifying:
Japan’s Ogiwara Hiroto topped qualifying with a score of 178.50. Italy’s Ian Matteoli finished second, followed by Japan’s Kimura Kira. Defending champion Su Yiming placed just outside the top three. Team USA saw 17-year-old Oliver Martin advance, while Australia’s Valentino Guseli grabbed the final qualifying spot in 12th.
Women’s Ice Hockey:
Team USA’s Hilary Knight is now just two goals away from becoming the all-time leading Olympic goal scorer for the U.S. women’s team.
Ski Jumping (Men’s Normal Hill Training):
Norway’s Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal finished first overall, scoring 74.6 points with a jump of 102 meters. Finland’s Vilho Palosaari recorded the longest jump at 103.5 meters but scored fewer points.
UPSET:
Canada stunned host nation Italy in curling, handing the tournament favorites a surprise loss.
Host Nation Watch: Italy:
Italy defeated South Korea in curling, lost to Canada in curling, and picked up a win against France in ice hockey.
Outlook:
Day 2 Review:
Curling:
Norway vs. Canada was a strong matchup, but Estonia vs. Sweden was the game of the day.
Ice Hockey:
No game truly stood out, but Sweden’s comeback win over Germany gets the nod, rallying from a one-goal deficit.
Day 3 Outlook:
It’s Opening Ceremony day at last!
Curling: United States vs Canada (4:05 AM EST, 10:05 AM CET)
Figure Skating: (5:35 AM EST and 7:35 AM EST, 11:35 AM CET and 1:35 PM CET)
Women’s Ice Hockey: France vs Japan. Two top-tier teams when it comes to Women’s Ice Hockey. (6:10 AM EST, 12:10 PM EST)
And that’s it for this one. What are your predictions for Day 3? Put them down in the comments below.
As always, if you have any questions about the Winter Olympics, or thoughts on the coverage or anything else, feel free to put them in the comments or DM me! I’m always here to answer questions.
I’ll be back with Day 3, with what actually mattered.