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Cohen, Hughes Dazzle Figure Skating Judges, Women's Bobsled Debuts VOA News 20 Feb 2002 01:42 UTC 
One of the most anticipated events of the winter Olympics is underway in Salt Lake City -- the women's figure skating short program. Vying for the gold for the United States is 16-year Sasha Cohen -- regarded by some as a brash newcomer -- and reigning women's figure skating champion Michelle Kwan. Kwan is also facing strong competition from fellow American Sara Hughes and Russians Irina Slutskaya and Maria Butyrskaya. Both Cohen and Hughes received high marks from the judges in their first appearances. The short program accounts for one-third of the final score that determines medal winners. The U.S. women's bobsled team has made Olympic history -- winning the first-time event's first gold medal. The win by Americans Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers also gives any U.S. bobsled team its first gold medal in the sport since 1948. Two German teams placed second and third to win silver and bronze medals. Earlier Tuesday, the Canadian women's ice hockey team advanced to the gold medal round with a seven-to-three win Tuesday over Finland. The Finns scored the first goal by any team against the Canadians with 25 seconds to go in the first period. The Finns appeared on the verge of an upset, leading into the third period, but eventually gave up five goals to the mighty Canadians. Canada's women's team will meet the winner of Tuesday's late match between the United States and Sweden. Finland plays the loser of that match for the bronze. Meanwhile, American Derek Parra broke the world's record in the men's 15-hundred meter speed skating, set earlier in the day by the Netherlands Jochem Uytdehaage. Parra skated the distance in one minute 43 point 93 seconds, beating the old record of one minute 44 point 57. Also, Tor Arne Hetland from Norway surged ahead in the final seconds to take the gold medal in the men's one-point-five kilometer cross-country skiing sprint. Germany took the silver and Italy the bronze. This was the sport's Olympic debut.
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