Michelle who? Cohen first in short program
U.S. teammates Meissner 5th, Hughes 7th, Russian favorite Slutskaya 2nd
 Mark Baker / AP Sasha Cohen only leads by .03 points, but for her it was certainly worth celebrating. |
TURIN, Italy - It wasn't quite a miracle on ice, but it was pretty spectacular.
American Sasha Cohen finished the women's short program figure skate first, in front of the highly favored Russian Irina Slutskaya.
A rundown of that and other events on Day 11:
Women's figure skating
Cohen saved the best for last. And boy was it good.
With U.S. flags waving and chants of “USA! USA!” rocking the arena, the U.S. champion dazzled the judges with a sassy, sensational short program and slipped past world champion Slutskaya of Russia by a slim .03 points.
Cohen’s spectacular spirals and crisp footwork had the crowd clapping to the beat of “Dark Eyes,” a Russian folk tune. She even flashed some attitude as she concluded a solid evening of skating that will wrap up with Thursday night’s free skate.
The United States has yet another women’s gold in sight.
Americans have won three of the last four Olympic titles, and if Cohen, a two-time world silver medalist, is this dynamic in the finale, she could add another title.
That would break Russia’s stranglehold on figure skating golds at these games. No country has swept all four events, and the Russians already own three — pairs, men’s and dance.
Japan’s Shizuka Arakawa and Fumie Suguri were third and fourth, and American Kimmie Meissner was fifth.
Emily Hughes, added to the U.S. team nine days ago when Michelle Kwan withdrew with a groin injury, wasn’t intimidated in her first major international event. The 17-year-old sister of 2002 gold medalist Sarah Hughes — who was in the audience — was in seventh place.
Men's 1,500 meters speedskating
Skating in front of a rabid home crowd, Enrico Fabris of Italy won the gold medal in men’s 1,500-meter speedskating Tuesday, dropping American rivals Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick to silver and bronze.
Fabris posted a time of 1 minute, 45.97 seconds, then waited anxiously to see if any of the remaining four pairs could better him on the slow ice.
Davis went in the final pair, knowing full well the time he had to beat. He finished in 1:46.13.
Hedrick skated in the next-to-last pair, covering 3¾ laps in 1:46.22, going much slower on his last lap than Fabris. The Texan knew he wasn’t going to win when he crossed the line, shaking his head.
The Italian broke up the American hold on gold medals at these games, becoming the first non-U.S. skater to win one in a men’s individual race. It was Fabris’ second gold, having helped the Italians win the team pursuit.
Americans Joey Cheek and Derek Parra, the defending Olympic champion, were ninth and 19th.
Women's two-man bobsled
Blasting down the Alps in a shiny, dark American convertible, Shauna Rohbock won a silver medal in women’s bobsled, ending an 0-for-Olympics stay for the U.S. sliding teams.
With roommate Valerie Fleming providing the push and applying the brakes, Rohbock completed her four runs just .71 seconds behind Germany’s Sandra Kiriasis and Anja Schneiderheinze and ahead of Italy’s Gerde Weissensteiner and Jennifer Isacco.
Rohbock, bumped from an Olympic ride four years ago, finally ended a U.S. winless streak that was chilling the Americans every bit as much as the biting winds.
The U.S. was skunked in the first six events on the 19-curve track, which had proved treacherous for many countries and thorny to the U.S. luge, skeleton and bobsled squads.
But Rohbock and Fleming busted through the ice for the U.S. As they crossed the finish line, the pair pumped their fists and Rohbock pounded both hands on the front of USA-1 in celebration.
Sledding isn’t Rohbock’s only skill. She’s a two-time soccer and track All-American.
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