Winter Olympics LIVE: Team GB’s men earn curling win over Norway after skeleton disappointment

Kamila Valieva’s Olympic dreams are hanging by a knife-edge as the bewildered teenager was pitched into a battle between the International Olympic Committee and Russia. Valieva, just 15, was meant to be the face of these Games but news that she had tested positive for banned substance Trimetazidine, which is used to treat angina, sent shockwaves through the Games though the case was complicated by a lack of details and her minor status.

American snowboarding star Shaun White narrowly missed out on the podium, the three-time Olympic champion taking fourth spot in what he said was his final Games. Meanwhile, Mikaela Shiffrin, who returned to the slopes to compete in the super-G after dramatically failing to complete runs in both the giant slalom and slalom, earned ninth spot in the race. The three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic Alpine gold medalist finished the race 0.79 seconds behind Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami, who takes the Olympic gold medal.

Britain’s men suffered their first defeat in the curling round robin stage, losing 9-7 to defending gold medallists Team USA, but Bruce Moaut’s men bounced back from the loss to convincingly beat Norway 8-3. GB’s women fell to defeat after a 9-6 loss to Korea, and Eve Muirhead’s team will need to bounce back strongly tomorrow against the USA. Follow the latest update below.

Winter Olympics 2022 results and updates

• Britain’s men’s curling team face Norway in round-robin match

• Russian 15-year-old figure skater faces Winter Olympics ban after failing drug test

• Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test exposes Russia and IOC’s broken relationship

• Curling: Great Britain women beaten 9-6 by South Korea

• Shaun White misses out on gold in halfpipe to bring close to legendary career

Team GB react to their curling win over Norway

14:13 , Lawrence Ostlere

Bobbie Lammy on Team GB’s win over Norway: “A lot better, all of us better with the weight of the draw [against Norway than earlier vs USA] and that was the difference tonight.” The team reveal their day off tomorrow will be spent lying in, going shopping at the athletes’ village mall, getting haircuts and playing table tennis. Well deserved.

Britain beat Norway 8-3

14:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

Norway win the point but offer up handshakes, knowing there is still too much to do to realistically win the game. A good win for Britain and their second of the round robin phase, putting themselves in a good position in the early standings. Of the 10 nations competing in the men’s event, only Sweden and Canada are unbeaten so far.

Men’s curling: GB 8-2 Norway

14:02 , Lawrence Ostlere

The seventh end is paused as GB take a timeout to consider how to dislodge Norway’s centre stone. They can come at it from either side but one route is a big draw and the other requires a deft deflection off another stone. Bruce Mouat decides to go with the latter, and he plays it to perfection, knocking out Norway’s stone after bouncing off his own. Norway have the hammer, but they are not getting more than one point from this end.

Men’s curling: GB 8-2 Norway

13:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

Perhaps this game isn’t over yet. Norway have taken control of this seventh end, halfway through, and they have the hammer here too. They have one stone sitting on the button and three others inside the rings. Team GB have a good opportunity however to wipe out two of those, and they do exactly that, but Norway immediately take back control of the centre with their next stone.

Men’s curling: GB 8-2 Norway (after six ends)

13:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

Team skip Bruce Mouat delivers the hammer brilliantly, clearing out Norway’s two stones hogging the button (the centre of the rings) to pick up three more points. This game is almost sewn up, barring some terrible collapse.

Men’s curling: GB 5-2 Norway

13:38 , Lawrence Ostlere

Bobby Lammie nails his shot to clear out Norway’s guards and Britain have the advantage, with the hammer in this sixth end.

Men’s curling: GB 5-2 Norway

13:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

Back under way and Norway have made a good start to this sixth end, with a stone in the centre of the house and decent protection in front too. Britain need to try and knock out Norway’s two guards to open up things up a little.

Men’s curling: GB 5-2 Norway

13:26 , Dylan Terry

Norway earn themselves one point from the fifth end as we head into a short break.

GB will be more than satisfied with the first half of this one. Couldn’t have gone much better for them as they look to pick up a second win from three matches.

Schulting retains Olympic title

13:24 , Dylan Terry

Suzanne Schulting has retained her Olympic title in the women’s 1,000m short track speed skating event!

She defended the crown she won in PyeongChang four years ago ahead of Min-jeong Choi of Korea and Hanne Desmet of Belgium.

Superb performance again from the 24-year-old Dutch sensation.

Men’s curling: GB 5-1 Norway

13:17 , Dylan Terry

Lots of people getting into the curling during this Olympic Games. It may be all the way out in Beijing, but the interest has certainly spread back to the British Isles.

And the GB men are putting on a superb show right now as the enter the fifth end with a four-point lead over Norway.

Men’s curling: GB 5-1 Norway

13:10 , Dylan Terry

Norway can’t clear the deck with the hammer and GB pick up another two points!

Turning into a very good match for the British team at the moment as they extend their advantage to four.

Men’s curling: GB 3-1 Norway

13:05 , Dylan Terry

Back to the action then and it is GB who are trying to work out how to extend their lead in the fourth end here as both teams have two stones inside the red ring with one throw each remaining.

Could prove key in the outcome of the match.

Men’s curling: GB 3-1 Norway

12:57 , Dylan Terry

It’s about this time - as we enter the midway point of this match - that I start to ponder how these guys found themselves getting into curling?

I couldn’t tell you I’ve ever stumbled upon anyone that has ever even played the sport, let alone given it a serious tilt as their career.

Not to take away from all this stone throwing, obviously. There is a definite art to it. It’s just incredibly niche.

Digging myself a hole here.

Men’s curling: GB 3-1 Norway

12:51 , Dylan Terry

GB go for the tap back with their final stone as they search for a two-stone victory in the third end.

And they make it! They nudge Norway’s well-positioned yellow stone out of play and take a commanding advantage into the fourth end.

Men’s curling: GB 1-1 Norway

12:42 , Dylan Terry

A little nest of two yellows and two reds sit inside the circle midway through the third end as it all becomes a little scrappy from both teams.

Great shot from from GB knocks them all clear to leave things as you were at the start of the end.

Three stones each remaining.

Men’s curling: GB 1-1 Norway

12:35 , Dylan Terry

Norway have taken the second end as they move level with GB after two ends.

GB had two red stones sitting there heading into Norway’s final throw, but one was knocked out and replaced by the Norwegians’ yellow.

All square with eight ends remaining.

Men’s curling: GB 1-0 Norway

12:25 , Dylan Terry

Concentration levels on point. GB know what they have to do here. We are into the second of 10 ends in this match against Norway.

Men’s curling: GB 1-0 Norway

12:21 , Dylan Terry

GB take the first end! They had the last-stone advantage but still got the job done. It should really have been even better for GB, only for them to slightly overcook their final stone.

Still, a positive start.

Men’s curling: GB vs Norway

12:19 , Dylan Terry

Worth saying that GB’s men’s curling have beaten Italy and lost to USA in their two round robin matches so far.

Each country will compete in nine round robin matches to decide who makes it through to the semi-finals.

If you lose three of your nine matches, you are usually out of the running for the last four. So this could be a crucial game for GB.

Men’s curling: GB vs Norway

12:15 , Dylan Terry

Here we go then with everyone’s favourite Winter Olympic sport - the curling!

We are already deep into the first end here. Will keep you posted on all the goings on there.

Crowley ‘proud’ of Olympic debut

12:12 , Dylan Terry

Fellow Team GB athlete Brogan Crowley insists she is proud of her Olympic debut in the women’s skeleton. She sits 26th, five places behind compatriot Deas.

“I’m pretty proud of the runs I put together to be honest. For me, it was a step up from training,” she said.

“I got bits in training but haven’t been able to put much together. It was definitely progress.

“I’m pleased with my push because that’s been one of my weak points over the years with my injuries, so I’m quite happy with that.”

Curling: GB vs Norway

12:09 , Dylan Terry

The curling is coming up very shortly in the superb Ice Cube venue! Can GB defeat Norway?

Not long until we find out.

Women’s 1000m speed skating semi-finals

12:06 , Dylan Terry

It’s a real battle in the second semi-final! All five athletes are in contention heading into the last couple of laps.

Eventually the USA’s Kristen Santos comes out on top to take the victory, with the much-fancied Arianna Santos in second place.

Choi Minjeong has also qualified for the final as the fastest third place. They will be joined by Hanne Desmet and Lee Yubin in the five-person final later on.

Women’s 1000m speed skating semi-finals

12:02 , Dylan Terry

Schulting shows her class again! The Dutch athlete, who set a world record in the quarter-finals earlier on today, comfortably moves through to the final without much of a challenge.

Hanne Desmet of Belgian took the crucial second qualification place, edging out Korea’s Lee Yubin in a photo finish.

Deas on disappointing start

12:00 , Dylan Terry

Laura Deas has reacted to her disappointing start to the women’s skeleton at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.

She said: “It’s certainly not the outcome I wanted. I came to the start block in a great frame of mind, I put together two good runs that I think I can be proud of.

“I can’t tell you now why the speed wasn’t there, I don’t know. I think I did myself proud. I’ve worked incredibly hard for the last four years to get to the start block today.”

Treacy vows to use Beijing 2022 as springboard to future Olympics success

11:55 , Dylan Terry

Niall Treacy vowed to be back again in four years’ time after immersing himself in a ‘surreal’ Winter Olympic debut.

The short track speed skater from Coventry was unable to progress through his 1000m heats as Britain’s rotten luck on the Olympic ice continued in Beijing.

But Treacy, 21, has been a sponge to his surroundings in the Chinese capital and relished the opportunity to fly the Team GB flag on the big stage.

He said: “I’ve had half an eye on four years’ time, even before I came out here. That was the goal before these Olympics – using it as a learning experience. I’m 21, so I don’t see this as being my last Olympics – I came here and it was about doing everything I can, taking in everything I can so I can gain as much experience as possible and learn as much as I can.

“It’s like no other competition – it’s so surreal and not much can prepare you for it apart from doing an Olympics itself, so I’ll be using that for 2026.

“It’s been really exciting. The build-up of us coming out as part of Team GB and being at the airport - it was so special to be part of the team.”

Niall Treacy vows to use Beijing 2022 as springboard to future Olympics success

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:47 , Dylan Terry

China’s Wu Dajing takes the final heat in a pleasing result for the home crowd.

Two went down in that final heat so Dajing and Italy’s Pietro Sighel coasted to the line to qualify automatically.

That’s all the heats for you!

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:44 , Dylan Terry

Oh, that was controversial! Shuang Liu, world champion in this discipline, had no problems securing the victory.

But behind him Chinese favourite Sun Long seemed to fall out of contention after he got caught up in a battle with Netherlands’ Jens van’t Wout.

Israel’s Vladislav Bykanov took advantage by coming through in second, but Sun Long has now been reinstated by the judges so he advances too!

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:40 , Dylan Terry

Konstantin Ivliev takes the fifth heat for the Russian Olympic Committee with the fastest time recorded so far. It was a photo finish for second place but Hungary’s John-Henry Krueger secured the runner-up spot.

The sixth heat was won by Azghaliev of Kazakhstan after another crash as Dutch athlete Itzhak de Laat went down. Hwang Daehoen took second place in that one.

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:33 , Dylan Terry

That was a close one! The front three all finished within one metre of each other but it was Kazakh Denis Nikisha who took the victory ahead of Canadian Jean-Pierre Gilles.

Belgium’s Stijn Desmet misses out but could get through as a fastest loser.

On we go to the fifth of eight heats.

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:30 , Dylan Terry

Canadian Steven Dubois wins the third heat ahead of Russian Olympic Committee’s Pavel Sitnikov.

That was the first heat that did not require a video review after the finish.

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:27 , Dylan Terry

The Olympic champion from the 1000m event is up next as Chinese home crowd favourite Ren Ziwei takes to the ice. Those inside the stadium get to their feet as they cheer him on.

And Ziwei does the job by sealing victory ahead of Kazakh Adil Galiakhmetov.

Men’s 500m speed skating heats

11:24 , Dylan Terry

Wow! Some performance to start the men’s 500m short track speed skating heats here. Hungarian Shaolin Sandor Liu absolutely obliterated his rivals to win by a huge margin.

There was also a crash at the start of that contest as Korean athlete Lee Juneseo went down following a collision with France’s Sebastien Lepape.

Lepape went on to claim second and move through into the next round.

1000m short track speed skating

11:20 , Dylan Terry

Kristen Santos wins the fourth and final quarter-final for the United States as Minjeong Choi secures second for Korea.

Talk is the gold medal will be fought out between Schulting and Fontana as they looked the most impressive in the quarter-finals.

That was an enjoyable watch! Aside from the length VAR-style reviews...

1000m short track speed skating

11:15 , Dylan Terry

Italy’s Arianna Fontana has taken the third quarter-final after a bit of bumping and barging heading into the last lap of the race.

There was a long review but Fontana keeps the win and Belgian Hanne Desmet has joined her in the semi-finals after coming home in second place.

1000m short track speed skating

11:11 , Dylan Terry

Lee Yubin of Korea won the second quarter-final as USA’s Maame Biney also progressed through to the semi-finals.

Worth mentioning that Xandra Velzeboer joined world record setter Schulting in qualifying from the first quarter-final.

World record in short track skating

11:09 , Dylan Terry

The women’s 1000m short track skating has just kicked off and we already have a new world record!

In the first quarter-final, Dutch athlete Suzanne Schulting has set the fastest ever time of one minute and 26.514 seconds.

Incredible!

Sweden thrash Slovakia in ice hockey

11:00 , Dylan Terry

Sweden have thumped Slovakia 4-1 in their ice hockey pool match. A physical match ended with a comfortable victory for the Scandinavian outfit.

Four years ago Sweden missed out on a podium place after being beaten in the quarter-finals by eventual silver medallists Germany.

Russia claimed the men’s ice hockey gold medal in PyeongChang.

White reflects on sensational career

10:55 , Dylan Terry

Three-time Olympic champion snowboarder has been in a reflective mood after finishing fourth in the final race of his career.

“The thought I keep having is, ‘Wow, this is the last time I’ll be here doing this specific thing,” he said.

“This is the last time I’ll be at a competition, stressed out about what points I’m going to get, or is today the day I might really hurt myself trying to push the envelope, you know.

“It’s hard to wake up every day since you were a kid and go, ‘Wow, I’m going to do something really scary today and hope I’m OK’, you know?

“If I got third, I would have wanted second. And if I had gotten second, I would have wanted more. This is just the competitor in me, but I am happy. I am happy to come back here and ride the pipe and have some fun and be a part of this sport. I think I’ve earned that.”

Valieva’s failed drugs test exposes Russia and IOC’s broken relationship

10:49 , Dylan Terry

Kamila Valieva’s Olympic dreams are hanging by a knife-edge as the bewildered teenager was pitched into a battle between the International Olympic Committee and Russia.

Valieva, just 15, was meant to be the face of these Games and was already being hailed as the greatest women’s skater of all time, guiding Russia to team gold and becoming the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics.

But as she practiced twice today at the Capitol Indoor Arena, her future was being decided in an unedifying legal wrangle that exposed the fissures and fault lines in the relationship between Russia and the IOC.

Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test exposes Russia and IOC’s broken relationship

Britain’s 20-year streak of women’s skeleton medals ended by poor start

10:42 , Dylan Terry

Great Britain’s 20-year-old streak of Olympic medals in the women’s skeleton is over after a calamitous start by Laura Deas and Brogan Crowley in Yanqing on Friday.

Deas and Crowley sit 21st and 22nd respectively after the first two runs of the event which concludes on Saturday, with the pair only besting athletes from South Korea, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Deas stormed to an unexpected bronze medal behind Lizzy Yarnold in Pyeongchang four years ago and, despite an indifferent World Cup season, she was confident that recent equipment upgrades could give her another glimpse of the podium.

But Deas struggled down her two runs, finishing a total of 1.80 seconds off leader Jaclyn Narracott of Australia with Crowley, competing at her first games, a further 0.41 seconds behind.

Calamitous start sees Britain end its 20-year streak of women’s skeleton medals

Kremlin supports Valieva after failed drugs test

10:36 , Dylan Terry

The Kremlin has placed their support behind Kamila Valieva following her positive drugs test.

The 15-year-old won a team gold medal on Monday but it has since been revealed she has returned a positive test for a banned heart medication. The test was conducted in December.

“At this point, we are convinced that it is some kind of misunderstanding,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a media call earlier today, as reported by Interfax.

“We absolutely, without limitation, and fully support our Kamila Valieva.

“We call on everyone to support her, and we say to Kamila: ‘Kamila, do not hide your face, you are Russian, be proud wherever you are, and most importantly compete and defeat everyone’.”

What’s coming up?

10:31 , Dylan Terry

Here are some of the events still yet to come today:

• Women’s 1000m short track skating quarter-finals and semi-finals

• Men’s 500m short track heats

• Men’s individual large hill ski jumping

• Men’s round robin curling

• Men’s skeleton

Winter Olympics medal table

10:26 , Dylan Terry

Norway lead the Winter Olympic Games table in Beijing after one week of events. Team GB are still yet to secure their first medal of the Games.

When will Brits have something to cheer about?

Atkin pulls out of slopestyle event

10:21 , Dylan Terry

Team GB have confirmed that Izzy Atkin will not compete in the slopestyle event at the Beijing Games on Sunday.

She had already withdrawn from the freestyle big air event.

A statement from Team GB read: “Following the withdrawal of Izzy Atkin from the freestyle ski big air competition, it is now confirmed she will also not compete in the slopestyle event starting on February 13.”

‘One of my best races ever’ - Roeiseland

10:16 , Dylan Terry

Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roeisland has given her interview after claiming the gold medal in the women’s 7.5km biathlon sprint.

She told Eurosport: “I think today for me it was the perfect race. I did the best I could and it was one of my best races ever. To do it at the Olympics, I don’t know what to say! I’m just smiling.

“We have just started! Three more competitions and I am really excited!”

Japan skater Hanyu receives support from Chinese fans after heartbreak

10:10 , Dylan Terry

Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu has received an outpouring of support on Chinese social media after he failed in his attempt to win a third consecutive Olympic gold medal in Beijing.

Hanyu fell as he attempted an ambitious world-first quadruple axel in the men’s individual figure skating event, as the USA’s Nathan Chen took the gold medal.

The 27-year-old Hanyu came into the Olympics as the two-time defending champion and is a popular figure in China despite the country’s political tensions with his home country Japan.

Hanyu was trending on the Chinese social media platform Weibo following Thursday’s final, with many online commenting with admiration for what he was trying to achieve.

Yuzuru Hanyu receives support from Chinese fans after Winter Olympics heartbreak

Roeiseland wind women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

10:04 , Dylan Terry

It has been confirmed! Marte Olsbu Roeiseland has won the women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint!

Here are your top three finishers:

1. Marte Olsbu Roeisland (Norway) - 20:44

2. Elvira Oberg (Sweden) - 21:15.

3. Dorothea Wierer (Italy) - 21:21

Sweden’s Van der Poel claims second gold medal

10:01 , Dylan Terry

Swedish speed skater Nils van der Poel has claimed his second gold medal of the Beijing Games after setting another world record in the 10,000 metres.

He finished a huge 14 seconds ahead of Dutch athlete Patrick Roest, with Davide Ghiotto claiming the bronze medal.

Roeiseland leads women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

09:55 , Dylan Terry

The current top three in the women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint:

1. Marte Olsbu Roeisland (Norway) - 20:44

2. Elvira Oberg (Sweden) - 21:15.

3. Dorothea Wierer (Italy) - 21:21

Roeiseland leads women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

09:50 , Dylan Terry

Oeberg has nipped into second place! She took 11 seconds out of Wierer in the final 1,000 metres to finish nine seconds ahead of the Italian.

She collapses as soon as she glides over the line - I can feel the pain in her body from here.

Still, nobody can get within 30 seconds of leader Roeiseland. And I don’t think anyone will.

Van der Poel breaks speed skating world record

09:45 , Dylan Terry

Sweden’s Nils van der Poel has broken his own world record in the men’s 10,000m speed skating and is surely set to secure another gold medal.

Van der Poel has already claimed the 5,000m title in Beijing.

Roeiseland leads women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

09:42 , Dylan Terry

Oeberg of Sweden is currently just two seconds behind Italy’s Wierer in the silver medal position. She has been closing in on second place all the time.

She has 1km remaining to make up two seconds and secure provisional second. Going to be close.

Roeiseland leads women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

09:33 , Dylan Terry

Wierer does it! She moves into second place, 30 seconds or so ahead of Russian Reztsova.

The Italian enjoyed a sensational finish to the 7.5km course and looks to have secured herself a medal as a result.

Roeiseland leads women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

09:32 , Dylan Terry

Italian Dorothea Wierer has expertly found the target with all five of her shots on her second round and is now a definite medal contender. Russian Olympic Committee’s Reztsova currently holds second place.

Not sure anyone is going to challenge Norway’s Roeiseland, though.

Legendary snowboarder White bows out with fourth place finish

09:30 , Dylan Terry

Three-time Olympic champion Shaun White has hung up his board after a legendary career.

The American snowboarder finished fourth at his final Games in Beijing earlier this morning as Ayumu Hirano took gold for Japan.

“All my fellow competitors were so kind, a lot of them patted me on the back and told me that the tricks in the sport wouldn’t be where it is today without my pushing,” said White.

“To get this bonus round and to see these young guys competing, it’s been such an enjoyable process and I’m truly thankful to be still competing and even getting fourth.”

Shaun White waves goodbye to Winter Olympics but spirit lives on in Ayumu Hirano

Roeiseland leads women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint

09:24 , Dylan Terry

We are approaching the end of the women’s biathlon 7.5km sprint and it is Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roeiseland who currently holds the lead.

The event consists of cross-country skiing and two sets of shooting - the first from a prone position and the second from standing. If you miss the target with one of your shots then you have to complete a 150 metre penalty loop.

Best keep those mistakes to a minimum then...

Musgrave and Young finish cross country skiing

09:20 , Dylan Terry

Andrew Musgrave has finished 46th in the cross country skiing for Team GB, closely followed by compatriot Andrew Young in 51st.

They would have been hoping for better performances but will have to settle for that in the 15km classic style.

More from Muirhead

09:15 , Dylan Terry

Muirhead continued: “The ice was definitely a little straighter today. I would say it was straighter all over. These are the kind of things we need to be a little bit sharper on and figure that out a little bit earlier.

“Overall the ice is great but we need to adapt to straighter conditions a little bit early.”

When asked what she will say to her team, she added: “We’re not on until tomorrow evening now so we have got a little time. I guess it’s learning from our mistakes from this game and also switching off for a little while.

“But we’ve also got to remember we’ve had a very tough start here. The thing is we know we can beat all of these guys.”

Valieva tests positive for banned substance

09:10 , Dylan Terry

Fifteen-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva faces being thrown out of the Winter Olympics after the International Testing Agency confirmed she tested positive for a banned heart medication in December.

Valieva’s positive test was confirmed on Tuesday, one day after she starred in the Russian Olympic Committee’s victory in the team event in Beijing.

Her team successfully challenged a provisional suspension, and she was practising again on Friday when the ITA ended days of speculation.

Check out our full story below.

Russian 15-year-old figure skater faces Winter Olympics ban after failing drug test

Muirhead reacts to GB curling defeat

09:06 , Dylan Terry

Team GB’s women’s curling team were beaten 9-6 by South Korea this morning in a frustrating contest for the British outfit.

Analysing the game, Eve Muirhead told BBC Sport: “I would say we had control after the eighth end and if my last in the ninth curled another centimetre we were going to give up two, max and we had the hammer in the last.

“It’s frustrating and its annoying but that’s curling isn’t it? You win by inches and you lose by inches.

“We’ve got to learn from our mistakes out there today and come back tomorrow firing.”

Morning round-up

09:00 , Dylan Terry

So if you are just joining us then welcome to this morning’s live coverage of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The biggest headline from this morning is the confirmation of Russian Olympic Committee athlete Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test from December.

Team GB’s men’s curling were beaten 9-7 by USA, but they will go again at 12:05pm GMT as they look to bounce back against Norway. Meanwhile, the women’s GB team have been beaten 9-6 by South Korea - their second defeat in three match-ups in the round robin format.

American snowboarder Shaun White finished his career with a fourth place finish in the half pipe as Japan’s Ayumu Hirano struck gold.

But in the women’s super-G skiing event Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin could only manage 10th.

South Korea beat Great Britain 9-6

08:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

A tit-for-tat end doesn’t offer GB the opportunity to pick up more than one point, and Britain concede the match without playing their final stone.

A tight match is lost, and that leaves their round-robin record at won one, lost two from three matches played. Still six matches to go and plenty of time to fight back into the semi-final places, but that was a disappointing result after such a dominant win over Sweden yesterday.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 9-6 Great Britain (9th end)

08:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

So Britain need three points to force an extra end, and the first few stones are promising. Vicky Wright has a tricky chance to knock out two Korean stones and take total control of the house, but doesn’t quite hit her mark. Three stones remaining each and this well balanced...

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 9-6 Great Britain (9th end)

08:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Beautifully played – that timeout was well used by Korea who knock out GB’s most central stone. Muirhead hits back by pushing out one Korean stone, but now GB are in trouble. The Koreans have one final throw of the dice and if they can clean out Britain’s central stone, they could pick up four or five points... it’s well played, and it’s four points! A huge moment and Korea just need to play defensively in the final end to clinch victory here.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 5-6 Great Britain (9th end)

08:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

Korea are dominating this penultimate end, with control of the centre of the house. With two stones left they call a timeout to discuss strategy. This is a tense match and this is a crucial juncture with GB leading by a point...

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 5-6 Great Britain (8th end)

08:25 , Lawrence Ostlere

A huge mistake by Korea’s skip EunJung Kim who holds on too long before releasing the stone and crosses the hog line - a foul, essentially. A huge gift to GB who clinch two points to take the lead. Two ends remain.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 5-4 Great Britain (7th end)

08:04 , Lawrence Ostlere

Perfect by Eve Muirhead! Her crucial final stone drops into the centre and picks up an important point to keep this match very alive. Three ends to go...

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 5-3 Great Britain (7th end)

07:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

Two stones left for both sides and it’s Korea who have the advantage with a stone close to the centre of the house, one that GB need to find a way to disrupt. An intriguing finish to this end and a key moment in the match...

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 5-3 Great Britain (7th end)

07:47 , Jack Rathborn

Muirhead looking to make an aggressive move with time running out.

Dodds drags the stone down into the house, landing on the blue.

Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test exposes Russia and IOC’s broken relationship

07:45 , Jack Rathborn

Kamila Valieva’s Olympic dreams are hanging by a knife-edge as the bewildered teenager was pitched into a battle between the International Olympic Committee and Russia.

Valieva, just 15, was meant to be the face of these Games and was already being hailed as the greatest women’s skater of all time, guiding Russia to team gold and becoming the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics.

But as she practiced twice today at the Capitol Indoor Arena, her future was being decided in an unedifying legal wrangle that exposed the fissures and fault lines in the relationship between Russia and the IOC.

Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test exposes Russia and IOC’s broken relationship

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 3-3 Great Britain (6th end)

07:31 , Jack Rathborn

Here we go then, this is tense, GB well in this now and have the momentum.

Immense curl on the GB stone to the house, it nudges the Korean stone to land in the blue circle as well.

GB also have a stone on the centre line, Korea connect well to take out that second GB stone.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 3-3 Great Britain (5th end)

07:23 , Jack Rathborn

Great Britain sitting on one point here, can they plot a second in the fifth.

The draw is out, it could be too tricky. They may go for the nose hit, to tie the game up...

A steady throw, it lands, we have a tie game after five ends, 3-3!

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 3-1 Great Britain (5th end)

07:14 , Jack Rathborn

Korea taking control of this match as we enter the fifth.

Though Korea’s guard is slightly long in this end. An opening for GB.

A hard sweep from Korea to hold the line to the house, but it clips the guard, narrowly missing their target line.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 2-1 Great Britain (4th end)

06:48 , Jack Rathborn

This last rock advantage for Korea has made a difference, here GB will get it.

GB starting this end well, they’re leaning on the draw, a nice start with two yellow stones inside the red circle.

Korea can use that last stone though, they’ll look to nestle onto it. It’s too heavy! GB with a let-off there.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 2-1 Great Britain (after 3rd end)

06:47 , Jack Rathborn

GB couldn’t drive their own guard stone back into the Koreans’.

A simple job: Korea must touch any part of the scoring area with their final stone.

And Korea rebound nicely, they nudge their stone in the house to grab a two-point score, nicely done.

It’s 2-1 to Korea.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 0-1 Great Britain (3rd end)

06:39 , Jack Rathborn

A nice hit-and-roll from GB at the start of this end to land inside the house.

Korea counter by moving away from the centre line, but GB remove it swiftly, it’s been that kind of game, back and forth with nothing settling for long in the house.

Superb from Korea, they miss the centre line guard, an aggressive sweep and they’re in a great spot now just outside the red ring. One more stone and no access either side for GB.

Russian 15-year-old figure skater faces Winter Olympics ban after failing drug test

06:35 , Jack Rathborn

Fifteen-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva faces being thrown out of the Winter Olympics after the International Testing Agency confirmed she tested positive for a banned heart medication in December.

Valieva’s positive test was confirmed on Tuesday, one day after she starred in the Russian Olympic Committee’s victory in the team event in Beijing Her team successfully challenged a provisional suspension, and she was practising again on Friday when the ITA ended days of speculation.

The ITA and the International Olympic Committee are now challenging the lifting of the provisional suspension, with a view to determining Valieva’s continued participation in the Games. She is the overwhelming favourite to win the women’s individual competition, which starts on Tuesday.

Russian 15-year-old figure skater faces Winter Olympics ban after failing drug test

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 0-1 Great Britain (after 2nd end)

06:34 , Jack Rathborn

Stunning scenes, Korea blow it, they had an opportunity for a three-point play, but it curls too much and it's a gift, Great Britain lead by one after two ends.

Calamitous start sees Britain end its 20-year streak of women’s skeleton medals

06:33 , Jack Rathborn

Great Britain’s 20-year-old streak of Olympic medals in the women’s skeleton is over after a calamitous start by Laura Deas and Brogan Crowley in Yanqing on Friday.

Deas and Crowley sit 21st and 22nd respectively after the first two runs of the event which concludes on Saturday, with the pair only besting athletes from South Korea, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Deas stormed to an unexpected bronze medal behind Lizzy Yarnold in Pyeongchang four years ago and, despite an indifferent World Cup season, she was confident that recent equipment upgrades could give her another glimpse of the podium.

Calamitous start sees Britain end its 20-year streak of women’s skeleton medals

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 0-0 Great Britain (2nd end)

06:28 , Jack Rathborn

Impressive move from GB to remove the double take-out with three stones left for Korea.

They easily take one with a hit and roll move. Two left each and still in the balance.

The house keeps getting cleared by each team, GB with a slight oversweep here, a mistake and an opening for Korea.

Can they snatch a multi-point score? Korea lands on the centre button, perfect weight with one stone left each.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 0-0 Great Britain (2nd end)

06:19 , Jack Rathborn

Impressive sweeping from Korea, they beautifully move their first stone around GB’s.

But GB bump their first stone into the red circle.

GB playing defence with offence here and a second stone inside the red. Coach Lindstrom looks happy with this start to the second end.

An aggressive move from Korea cannons one GB stone onto another, the house has been transformed in an instance!

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 0-0 Great Britain

06:17 , Jack Rathborn

A beautiful play by GB, who knock Korea’s stone out of the scoring area, but they’ll have final say.

That last stone advantage crucial, but GB’s move to remove the two-point score ensures Korea opts to send theirs right the way through.

We end the first end 0-0.

Winter Olympics 2022: Women’s curling - South Korea 0-0 Great Britain

06:15 , Jack Rathborn

We’re underway, and it’s an interesting end to start things out.

The penultimate Korean stone touches the scoring area.

Can GB react? One more stone each.

On the ice, a question: Where are the Black figure skaters?

05:57 , Namita Singh

Canadian figure skater Vanessa James, who skates in the pairs event with teammate Eric Radford, is the only Black figure skater competing for any nation in Beijing.

She carries not just the hopes of Canadian and French skaters, but also Black girls and women, boys and men across the world who strain to see themselves represented on the ice and slopes during the Winter Games.

“If you don’t see yourself in the sport, how can you believe that you belong, how can you believe that you can be the best, how do you know that you can be creative or that you’ll be accepted for your uniqueness?” says James, who in 2010 was one half of the first Black French pairs skating duo with Yannick Bonheur.

There are no Black athletes competing in figure skating for the Americans this year, though the US team includes five Asian American skaters, an openly LGBTQ skater and the first gender-nonbinary skater. Mexico’s figure skating team consists of Donovan Carrillo, the lone representative from Latin America.

Kristi Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan came to define Asian American representation at the Olympics in the 1990s, while China, Japan and South Korea became more prominent in the early 2000s. And with Nathan Chen headed for a gold medal, and Alysa Liu and Karen Chen on the American team, the pipeline of figure skaters has yet to show signs of slowing.

An emotional goodbye

05:02 , Namita Singh

Scotty James 'speechless’ after his medal win

04:56 , Namita Singh

Australia’s Scotty James, who has added silver to his medal tally, said he was “speechless” and “quite happy” to win the medal.

“It was always going to be a really good challenge today,” he told Olympics.com.

“All of the guys; the other 11 guys in the field were all riding super well. And for me, I’m speechless and pretty honestly quite happy to be on the podium. It’s a big feat. I mean, the whole field is riding super well.”

Switzerland takes super-G gold

04:55 , Namita Singh

Alpine Skiing super-G Olympic gold went to Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland who finished the race in 1 minute 13.51 seconds. Austria’s Mirjam Puchner trailing behind Gut-Behrami by 0.22 seconds, took the second spot while Switzerland’s Michelle Gisin earned bronze.

American Mikaela Shiffrin, who had failed to finish in her two favoured events, slalom and giant slalom, ended in ninth position. The 2018 Olympic super-G gold medal winner, Czech Ester Ledecka, finished in fifth place.

Elton John congratulates Nathan Chen

04:37 , Namita Singh

Sir Elton John has congratulated US Olympic skating champion Nathan Chen who performed his gold medal-winning routine to the strains of Rocket Man.

The 22 year-old pulled off a dazzling performance in the men’s free skate in Beijing on Thursday which earned him the top spot on the podium.In a post on social media, Sir Elton praised the youngster and encouraged fans to watch him in a special music and sports crossover series called From The Top.

“Congratulations nathanwchen for winning Gold skating to Rocket Man in the free skate finals in Beijing,” he said. “Watch nathanwchen and HayleyKiyoko appear in the series I exec-produced called ‘From The Top’ for Olympics & rocketsportsuk.”

Team USA beats Bruce Mouat and Team GB in men’s curling

04:34 , Namita Singh

Team GB suffered their first defeat at the hands of Team USA in the men’s curling round robin play. After trailing 5-2 at one stage, Bruce Mouat’s team moved to a 6-5 lead. By the eighth end, both the sides had leveled at 7 each.

However, it was in the final end that USA kept their nerve to ensure a 9-7 win. In the other matches, the Swiss curlers beat ROC by 6-3, while Swedes secured a 9-3 victory over Italy and China won against Denmark by 5-4.

Shaun White ‘proud’ of his performance

04:14 , Namita Singh

Three-time Olympic champion Shaun White, who earned fourth spot in the snowboard halfpipe, said he is “proud”.

“It’s done and I’m so relieved,” he tells Olympics.com. “I wish I would have done better in my runs.

“I mean, there’s a reason: my back leg was like, giving out on me, it was so sore, maybe it’s the nerves. It was just locking up and I did what I could and I’m proud of fourth.

“Obviously I would have loved to have third, and then if I would have had third, I would have loved to have second. I always want more as a competitor, but I’m proud. I’m leaving behind a lifetime and a career in this sport and a legacy.”

Kamila Valieva tested positive for banned medication, International Testing Agency has announced

03:59 , Namita Singh

Fifteen-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication in December, the International Testing Agency (ITA) has announced.

The ITA said Valieva submitted the positive test during the Russian Figure Skating Championships, and the adverse sample was confirmed on 8 February, one day after she starred in Russia’s victory in the team event at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Valieva’s subsequent provisional suspension was lifted by the Russian anti-doping agency, RUSADA, the following day, due to what the ITA said was a “reasoned decision” that has not yet been disclosed.

The lifting of the suspension has enabled Valieva to continue training in Beijing, and further delayed the medal ceremony for the team event, in which the United States and Japan finished in second and third places respectively.

The International Olympic Committee is appealing the lifting of the provisional suspension, and spokesman Mark Adams said he wanted a resolution “as quickly as possible”, with Valieva scheduled to compete in the women’s event next week.

Shiffrin finishes the race but out of medal contention

03:50 , Namita Singh

Mikaela Shiffrin completed the super-G at the Beijing Olympics on Friday in a time way out of medal contention — but for the first time in three races at the 2022 Games, she made it across the finish line.

The two-time Olympic Alpine gold medalist crossed the line at the bottom of a course known as The Rock in an unofficial time of 1 minute, 14.30 seconds.

That left the 26-year-old American more than a half-second behind early leader Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland.That put Shiffrin in eighth place provisionally after only 11 of the 44 entrants had taken their turns down the slope.

Shiffrin never had entered a super-G at an Olympics before, although she did win a gold in the event at the 2019 world championship and a bronze at last year’s worlds.

She failed to finish her opening run in the two-run events that preceded the super-G in Beijing: the giant slalom and the slalom. She has won both at past Olympics.

Urgent hearing to decide if Valieva can skate at Olympics

03:41 , Namita Singh

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s right to compete in the women’s event at the Beijing Olympics will be decided at an urgent hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The International Testing Agency said Friday it will lead an appeal on behalf of the IOC against a decision by Russia’s anti-doping agency to lift a provisional ban imposed on the 15-year-old Valieva for failing a doping test in December.

Hirano Ayumu is the snowboard halfpipe champion!

03:08 , Namita Singh

Japan’s Hirano Ayumu has won the men’s snowboard halfpipe after earning the best score of 96 in his final run. Having scored 91.75 in the second run, Hirano had ensured himself a place in the podium. Also the final performer of the event, Hirano ensured a nail-biting finish, as he outscored Australia’s Scotty James at the last

.Switzerland’s Jan Scherrer is taking bronze home.

Three-time Olympic champion Shaun White finished fourth.

Katarina Witt backs Valieva, blames the Russian's entourage

02:42 , Namita Singh

Figure skating great Katarina Witt backed Russian sensation Kamila Valieva and pointed the finger at her entourage as the 15-year-old practices for her next event at the Beijing Olympics amid reports she tested positive for a banned substance.

Valieva trained twice since Russian media reported on Wednesday she had returned a positive test, with newspapers RBC and Kommersant naming the drug as Trimetazidine, which is typically used to treat angina.

“Those latest terrible olympic skating news, have honestly touched me. Kamila Valieva is a young girl and child prodigy, whose highly difficult performances and grace enchanted the whole world at only 15, a minor, depending on adults and she is not to blame here,” German Witt, an Olympic champion for East Germany in 1984 and 1988, wrote on her Facebook page.

“This scandal is a dramatic turning point for her young and promising career and I sincerely hope that there are enough people by her side to support, to protect and encourage her.”

Witt, 56, insisted that Valieva could not be held responsible for the failed test, pointing her finger at the teenager’s entourage.

“As an athlete, you always follow the advice of your confidants, in this case she probably followed her coach and medical team,” she said.

“It is a shame, and the responsible adults should be banned from the sport forever!!! What they knowingly did to her, if true, cannot be surpassed in inhumanity and makes my athlete’s heart cry infinitely.

“I admire Kamila as a radiant star, who burst into the orbit of the international skating world, and I still very much wish she has come to stay.”

Shiffrin ready to have fun in super-G race

02:35 , Namita Singh

Mikaela Shiffrin is ready to have some “fun” when she returns to Olympic action in the super-G.

Shiffrin posted on Twitter early Friday morning in China to say she’s grateful “to have the opportunity to refocus on a new race, in the sport that I love so much.”

The two-time Olympic gold medalist is off to a rough start at the Beijing Games.

She went off-course within about 10 seconds in the giant slalom on Monday and after about half as much time in the slalom on Wednesday.

“I’ve had a lot of support over the last 48 hours,” Shiffrin wrote Friday, “and I have to thank everyone for that.”

Shaun White fighting for a spot on the podium

02:27 , Namita Singh

Three time Olympic champion, Shaun White is back in the running for his podium finish. He delivered the best score of 85, taking the third spot in his second run of Snowboard halfpipe.

Scotty James of Australia is currently leading the race with the best score of 92.50.

Shaun White completes first run in halfpipe final

01:54 , Graeme Massie

The 35-year-old Californian did not have the smoothest run but it was good enough for a score of 72.00 and fourth place after the first of three runs.

American takes lead in halfpipe - but it is not Shaun White

01:48 , Graeme Massie

Colorado’s Taylor Gold, took gold medal spot with his opening run in the men’s halfpipe, scoring 81.75.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website