Norway claims two golds to top medals table at PyeongChang Games

PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Norway claimed two more golds on Wednesday to lead medals table at the PyeongChang Winter Games.

In a thrilling seesaw battle, Norway beat South Korea to win the men's team pursuit title in speed skating in a time of 3 minutes 37.32 seconds.

Earlier, Norway's Martin Sundby and Johannes Klaebo won the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free gold.

"This has been an amazing drive from the whole Norwegian Olympic team, I think for the last couple of weeks. I think we inspire each other. At least, I get inspired from watching other athletes succeed and do well," Sundby said of Norway's performance at the Games.

"We live quite close in camp also with the biathletes and I think we have had the most fantastic last 14 days with a lot of energy.

"Everybody wants to show the other guys that they also can take some medals and this day has been nerve-wracking for me, for sure it's been the worst day ever. But we have been able to finish off with a gold medal and that's fantastic," Sundby added.

In Alpine skiing, Italy's Sofia Goggia claimed the gold medal in women's downhill. American skiing great Lindsey Vonn, gold medalist of the event at Vancouver 2010, won bronze in her final Olympic downhill race.

Goggia clocked a competition-best time of 1:39.22, becoming the first Italian winner of the women's downhill event.

"I still haven't quite realized yet. I think I'll realize when I'm on the podium. I'm very proud. I feel so focused on the day that I haven't realized yet what I've done. It's about me and my skiing and not the others," said the Italian after clinching her first Olympic medal in any discipline," the Italian said.

Vonn, who withdrew from Sochi 2014 due to injuries, displayed below-par performance in PyeongChang. After finishing sixth in super-G, she trailed Goggia by almost half of a second to take away the downhill bronze.

"I gave it all today, skied a great race. Sofia just skied better than I did," said Vonn. "I thought I executed the line really well on the whole course, perhaps too well. I tried too hard to stay on the perfect line. But I've no regrets."

The 33-year-old Vonn still managed to break the record for oldest female medalist in Alpine skiing at the Winter Games, previously set by Michaela Dorfmeister at 32 years and 332 days when she won the women's super-G in 2006.

Talking about her Olympic downhill finale, Vonn said: "It was tough to contemplate this being my last Olympic downhill. I struggled to try to keep the emotions together, but I left it all on the mountain like I said I would. I skied really well, but I think Sofia is untouchable today."

Elsewhere, Brady Leman became the first Canadian to win a medal in the freestyle skiing men's ski cross after bagging the gold in style.

It was the fifth gold medal for Canada in men's freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympic Games, more than any other National Olympic Committee.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet. It's something I have been working so hard for, for 10-plus years now, especially the last four after coming fourth in Sochi," said Leman.

There was also victory for the United States' Kikkan Randall and Jessica Diggins who won the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free title.

In figure skating women's singles, Russian Alina Zagitova edged two-time world champion and compatriot Evgenia Medvedva to top the short program rankings with 82.92 points. Medvedva scored 81.61 points, followed by Canadian Kaetlyn Osmond with 78.87.

Now Norway leads medals table on 13 golds while China is 19th on five silver and two bronze medals. Enditem