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SASHA COHEN-IRINA SLUTSKAYA LADIES FIGURE SKATING GOLD MEDAL SHOWDOWN ON THURSDAY, DAY 14 OF THE TORINO GAMES
"Sasha Cohen--Is There a More Beautiful Skater in the World? I Think Not."-Hamilton
TORINO, Italy -- February 22, 2006 -- American Sasha Cohen edged Russian rival Irina Slutskaya in the ladies figure skating short program, setting up a gold medal showdown in Thursday's free skate during NBC's primetime coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT. NBC's Torino Olympic coverage continues Thursday on NBC, USA Network, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC HD and Universal HD.
"Sasha Cohen--is there a more beautiful skater in the world? I think not," said NBC's figure skating analyst Scott Hamilton. "You can count maybe five people in the history of the sport that skates with the beauty of Sasha Cohen...I don't even know if I could name four. She's that amazing."
NBC analyst Dick Button added, "I put Sasha Cohen first because I am absolutely blasted away by the quality of her skating."
U.S. skaters Kimmie Meissner, currently in fifth, and Emily Hughes, currently in seventh, could also factor in the medals. Hamilton said that Meissner "has all the qualities to be the next great American skater."
In other action, men's aerials offers a high-flying, soar-or-crash, acrobatic show featuring the U.S.'s Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, a World Cup champion and gold medal favorite. "The biggest story is that this men's aerials competition will showcase the highest degree of difficulty ever performed in the history of the Olympics with a couple of guys now doing quintuple twisting triple back flips (three flips with five twists total)," said NBC's freestyle skiing analyst Trace Worthington.
Highlights for Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006, include:
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
NBC
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Snowboarding--Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Competition
8:00 p.m.-Midnight
Figure Skating--Ladies Free Skate Gold Medal Final
Freestyle Skiing--Men's Aerials Gold Medal Final
12:35 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
The Olympic Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Figure Skating--Ladies Free Skate Analysis
Snowboarding--Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Gold Medal Final
Medals Plaza--Awards Ceremonies
2:00 a.m.-5:00 a.m.
Primetime Replay
USA
6:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Biathlon--Women's Relay Gold Medal Final (LIVE)
11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Curling--Women's Gold Medal Final (LIVE)--SWEDEN VS. SWITZERLAND
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Olympic Ice
MSNBC
7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Curling--Women's Bronze Medal Final (LIVE)--CANADA VS. NORWAY
CNBC
5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Curling--Women's Gold Medal Final--SWEDEN VS. SWITZERLAND
UNIVERSAL HD
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Olympic Ice
NBC HIGHLIGHTS (Primetime):
Tonight the ladies take the ice to skate for Torino gold in the most anticipated event of the Winter Games that is bursting with questions: Will Sasha Cohen (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) finally fulfill her limitless potential? Can Irina Slutskaya cap her career with the ultimate prize? Will Italy's emerging talent Carolina Kostner lift the host country??TMs fans? Will Emily Hughes (Great Neck, N.Y.) follow her older sister Sarah as Olympic Champion? Or will Kimmie Meissner (Bel Air, Md.) emerge as the next American teen sensation and skate the program of her lifetime to produce another golden surprise? Find out tonight.
In the high-flying, soar-or-crash, acrobatic show of men's aerials, World Cup champion Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (Boise, Idaho)--whose nickname comes from the always in motion cartoon character Speed Racer--gives Team USA a chance for gold in this highly competitive event.
NBC HIGHLIGHTS: (Daytime):
The snowboarding competition continues with the women's parallel giant slalom, where Italian-American Michelle Gorgone (Sudbury, Mass.) is the top U.S. hopeful.
NBC HIGHLIGHTS: (Latenight):
Behind-the-scenes Olympic coverage continues with an exclusive review of today's ladies' free skate.
The snowboarding competition concludes with the gold medal final in women's parallel giant slalom, where Italian-American Michelle Gorgone (Sudbury, Mass.) is the top U.S. hopeful.
USA & MSNBC HIGHLIGHTS:
The women's curling competition closes with LIVE coverage of both the gold and bronze medal matches.
Highlights for Friday, Feb. 24, 2006, include:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
NBC
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Cross Country--Women's 30km Gold Medal Final
8:00 p.m.-Midnight
Figure Skating--Champions Gala
Alpine Skiing--Women's Giant Slalom Gold Medal Final
Bobsled--Four Man Competition
Speed Skating--Men's 10,000m Gold Medal Final
12:35 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
The Olympic Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Medals Plaza--Awards Ceremonies
2:00 a.m.-6:00 a.m.
Primetime Replay
MSNBC
7:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Curling--Men's Bronze Medal Final (LIVE)--USA VS. GREAT BRITAIN
Hockey--Men's Semifinal (LIVE)--SLOVAKIA/CZECH REPUBLIC WINNER VS. SWEDEN
USA
11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Curling--Men's Gold Medal Final (LIVE)--CANADA VS. FINLAND
Hockey--Men's Semifinal (LIVE)--FINLAND VS. RUSSIA
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Olympic Ice
CNBC
5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Curling--Men's Gold Medal Final--CANADA VS. FINLAND
UNIVERSAL HD
10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Hockey--Men's Semifinal (LIVE)--SLOVAKIA/CZECH REPUBLIC WINNER VS. SWEDEN
3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Hockey--Men's Semifinal (LIVE)--FINLAND VS. RUSSIA
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Olympic Ice
NBC HIGHLIGHTS (Primetime):
In the figure skating champions gala, watch all of your favorite Torino skaters showcase their skills in a spectacular encore performance, featuring the sport's biggest names and newly crowned champions.
Torino gold medalist Chad Hedrick, the former in-line champion from Houston, Texas who could be one of the breakout stars of the 2006 Games, races for gold in the 10,000m, a draining, six-mile event.
Texan Todd Hays, the 2002 Salt Lake silver medalist and former football standout at the University of Tulsa, begins his pursuit of a second straight four-man bobsled medal under the Friday Night lights.
Once again, Croatian sensation Janica Kostelic and Swedish star Anja Paerson are the favorites in a race that could determine who is the Queen of the Mountains at the Torino Games. Also watch for 21-year-old Americans, Minnesota native Lindsey Kildow and California's Julia Mancuso (the 2005 world championships bronze medalist), the present and future of the U.S. alpine team.
NBC HIGHLIGHTS (Daytime):
The 30km, the final race of the women's cross-country competition is also the longest--18 difficult miles of racing to determine Olympic gold.
NBC HIGHLIGHTS (Latenight):
Medals, music and Jay Leno with the final installment of the "Olympic Tonight Show."
MSNBC & USA HIGHLIGHTS:
LIVE coverage of the Olympic frozen four--the semifinals of the men's hockey tournament will determine which two teams of NHL stars get to play for gold on Sunday.
LIVE coverage of the men's gold and bronze medal finals in curling.
Listings subject to change, please check NBCOlympics.com for updates.
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