MILAN -- Lindsey Vonn's daring bid for an Olympic downhill medal ended in heartbreak, while Norway's Sander Eitrem delivered a record-breaking triumph on the speed skating oval on Sunday, as the Milan-Cortina Winter Games produced drama across multiple venues on the second competition day.
Vonn crashed early in the women's downhill, losing control on the opening traverse after cutting her line too tight and being spun into the air. The 41-year-old American, competing on a rebuilt right knee and a badly injured left knee, was heard screaming after the fall and was later airlifted from the course.
The US Ski Team said Vonn was in stable condition and receiving care from American and Italian physicians. Her race ended with a broken leg, another devastating blow just nine days after she tore the ACL in her left knee.
Breezy Johnson capitalized on the chaotic race to win gold for the United States, edging Germany's Emma Aicher by 0.04 seconds. Italy's Sofia Goggia took bronze.
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Johnson, competing in her second Olympics, became the second American woman to win an Olympic downhill gold, following Vonn. "Her achievements put her in a different echelon," Johnson said. "To have my name next to hers is really something special."
Johnson added that Vonn's coach told her the three-time Olympic medalist was cheering for her from the helicopter. "My heart aches for her," Johnson said. "It's such a brutal sport sometimes."
In speed skating, world record holder Eitrem broke the Olympic record to claim gold in the men's 5,000 meters. The 23-year-old clocked 6:03.95 at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, surpassing the previous Olympic mark of 6:08.84 set by Sweden's Nils van der Poel in Beijing four years ago.
Eitrem, who became the first skater to break six minutes at the distance two weeks earlier in Inzell, Germany, said managing pressure was the key to his Olympic success. "I skated my best race," he said. "The key was to stay relaxed and keep it simple."
Czech skater Metodej Jilek took silver, finishing 2.53 seconds behind Eitrem, while Italy's Riccardo Lorello delighted the home crowd with bronze in 6:09.22.
Germany's Max Langenhan dominated the men's singles luge, winning gold with a four-run total of three minutes, 31.191 seconds. Austria's Jonas Mueller finished second, while Italy's Dominik Fischnaller earned his second consecutive Olympic bronze.
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Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo surged clear late to win the men's 10km+10km skiathlon in 46:11, capturing his sixth Olympic gold medal. France's Mathis Desloges took silver, with Norway's Martin Loewstroem Nyenget claiming bronze just a fraction behind.
At the Milano Ice Skating Arena, the United States captured gold in the figure skating team event with 69 points, edging Japan by a single point. Italy earned bronze with 60 points.
It marked the Americans' second straight Olympic title in the event, while Japan settled for silver for the second consecutive Games. The bronze was Italy's first-ever medal in the figure skating team competition.
France opened the biathlon program by winning gold in the mixed 4x6km relay. Anchor Julia Simon shot clean, hitting all 10 targets, as France finished in 1:04:15.5. Italy earned silver on home snow, with Germany taking bronze.
In snowboarding, Austria's Benjamin Karl won his second straight Olympic gold in the men's parallel giant slalom, tearing off his shirt to celebrate in the finish area after edging South Korea's Kim Sang-kyum by 0.19 seconds. Bulgaria's Tervel Zamfirov claimed bronze.
The discipline, whose Olympic future has sparked debate, again highlighted its tolerance for longevity. Italy's Roland Fischnaller, 45, topped qualification in his seventh Olympics, while Austria's Claudia Riegler, 52, was the oldest competitor in the women's field.
"You can be in super shape until 40, maybe even 50," Karl said. "There is no reason to slow down just because of age."
