Beijing, Feb 20 (IANS): Finland edged past defending champion the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) 2-1 to get their first-ever Olympic ice hockey gold medal at Beijing 2022 in the men's final on Sunday.
Before the final, Finland, the second in the world rankings, have never won an Olympic gold medal since it entered the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) family during the Olympics in St. Moritz in 1928, and it got a silver medal at Turin 2006 after losing to Sweden in the men's final. The U.S. and Canada split the seven women's titles since the women's programme made their debut in 1998.
World No. 3 ROC edged past Germany 4-3 in overtime at Pyeongchang 2018, and it fell 3-1 to Finland in the quarter-finals at Sochi 2014.
The 27-year-old Russian forward Mikhail Grigorenko put the puck into the net to break the deadlock at 7:17 in the power play before Finland struck back with an equalizer at 23:28 by 27-year-old defender Ville Pokka.
Finland's forward Hannes Bjorninen scored at 40:31 to seal the victory.
The Finns won all five games before the final, and defeated Slovakia 2-0 in the semi-finals, while the Russians edged past Sweden 2-1 in the shootout to reach the final.
While Finland made history, Norway topped the medals table with 37 medals with 16 gold medals. Germany finished second with 27 medals including 12 gold. Hosts China ended their home Games with 15 medals including nine gold.
Friedrich repeats bobsleigh double
At nearby Yanqing arena, Francesco Friedrich of Germany repeated his bobsleigh Olympic double when he piloted his crew to the four-man race gold at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games on Sunday.
With the win, Friedrich became the first pilot to win gold medals in two-man and four-man bobsleigh at two consecutive Olympic Games.
Friedrich, who took the two-man gold on Tuesday, drove his German crew of Thorsten Margis, Candy Bauer and Alexander Schueller to a winning time of three minutes and 54.30 seconds over four runs.
Another German pilot Johannes Lochner took silver with 0.37 seconds behind. Canadian pilot Justin Kripps came in third in 3:55.09.
"We are so proud and so happy about the result. We gave everything we had today. We got it," said Friedrich.
He now began to eye a triple-double at the next Winter Olympics. "We hope it goes on. Our goal is to make four more years," he said.
Britain clinches women's curling gold
Great Britain bagged their sole gold at the Beijing 2022 on Sunday when they beat Japan for the women's curling title. On the closing day of the Games, Britain, Sochi 2014 bronze medallists, beat PyeongChang bronze medallists Japan 10-3 for the delegation's second medal at the Games, following the runners-up finish in men's curling.
The British team, skippered by Eve Muirhead, scored two points with the hammer in the first end, and swallowed two points back-to-back in the following ends, taking the lead 4-1 in the first half, reports Xinhua.
Japan, spearheaded by Satsuki Fujisawa, managed to break through Britain's sound defense and score one point in the sixth end, but two amazing shots by Muirhead in the following end won Britain four points, overriding Japan 8-2.
Japan added one point on the scoreboard in the eighth end, but Britain scored two points in the ninth, forcing Japan to surrender before the break of the last end. Britain lost to Japan in the bronze medal game at PyeongChang 2018.
Johaug wins 3rd gold of Beijing 2022
At nearby Chongli, Therese Johaug of Norway earned her third gold medal of Beijing 2022 in women's cross-country skiing 30km mass start free on Sunday.
A familiar picture was seen soon after the start, with Johaug leaving behind other rivals, going ahead to her third gold medal at Beijing.
The 33-year-old crossed the finishing line in 1 hour, 24 minutes, 54.0 seconds to win following her victories in the 10km classic and skiathlon.
American Jessie Diggins crossed the line 1:43.3 behind for silver, and Finland's skier Kerttu Niskanen took bronze with 2:33.3 behind Johaug.
The Norwegian skier has admitted that Beijing 2022 would be her last race in Olympics.