Olympics Round-Up, Days 7-9: Relay Team Finishes 10th
Although the men's cross-country relay team finished 10th, which can be considered a mild success, Estonian athletes continued to under-perform, finishing far closer to last place than to the top three, while offering a variety of excuses.
Cross-country, men's 15 km classic, February 14
1. Dario Cologna, SUI, 38:29
40. Aivar Rehemaa, EST, + 3:20
43. Algo Kärp, EST, + 3:46
45. Karel Tammjärv, EST, + 3:58
61. Raido Ränkel, EST, + 5:09
Rehemaa told ETV after the race that he fell on his chest at a training session a day earlier, and took painkillers before Friday's event.
the head of the cross-country team, Mati Alaver, said that expectations were higher, adding that he hoped Rehemaa might make the top 20 and another skier the top 30.
Biathlon, women's 15 km individual, February 14
1. Darya Domracheva, BLR, 43:19, one miss
44. Kadri Lehtla, EST, + 6:25, two missed
58. Grete Gaim, EST, + 8:08, two missed
73. Johanna Talihärm, EST, + 11:56, six missed
74. Darja Jurlova, EST, + 11:58, six missed
“I had a slight cold. The skies were good, and I was confident, but lacked strength,” a 20-year-old Talihärm told ETV.
Lehtla said she forgot two magazines and had to make a stop to pick them up.
Figure skating, men's free program, February 14
1. Yuzuru Hanyu, JPN, 280 points
24. Viktor Romanenkov, EST, 140 points
Romanenkov qualified the second from last for the free program on Thursday, despite admitting to losing 3 kilograms in the past few days due to nervousness. But the 20-year-old failed to make a mark in the final round with a last-place finish.
Ski jumping, large hill, qualification, February 14
1. Michael Hayböck, AUT, 124.8 points, 131 meters
24. Kaarel Nurmsalu, EST, 103.6 points, 125 meters
49. Siim-Tanel Sammelselg, EST, 69.0 points, 107.5 meters
The first 40 qualified for the main event.
Ski jumping, large hill, round 1, February 15
1. Kamil Stoch, POL, 143.4 points, 139 meters
41. Kaarel Nurmsalu, EST, 105.9 points, 124.5 meters
Only the top 30 made the final round.
“The goal remained unaccomplished. The Olympic Games were a failure,” Nurmsalu told ETV, having expressed hope to land in the top 15 before the game. “Not everything develops how you want it to in sport."
Cross-country, men’s 4x10 km relay, February 16
1. Sweden, after leg 1: 1st; leg 2: 1st; leg 3: 1st; leg 4: 1st. 1:28:42
10. Estonia, after leg 1: 13th; leg 2: 10th; leg 3: 12th; leg 4: 10th. + 4:10
The Estonian team of Karel Tammjärv (leg 1), Algo Kärp (leg 2), Aivar Rehemaa (leg 3) and Raido Ränkel (leg 4), passed USA and Canada in the final leg of the race to record the nation's best result from Sochi so far. 16 teams participated in the event.
“When it was my turn – Aivar (Rehemaa) was sadly a little behind them (the US and Canadian skiers) – I began a slow assault. It was easy to ski behind the Canadian in the first two laps, but I had to seat to pull away in the third,” Ränkel said.
No Estonians will compete today.