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Kevin Eubank ReportingAll eyes were on the Olympics Thursday night as the duel for top female skater ended up being a three-lady race. It certainly didn't end the way many expected or hoped. In fact, it became a day for the underdog.
All the attention Thursday night was focused squarely on Sasha Cohen and Irina Slutskaya, until a couple of falls opened the door for Japanese skater Shizuka Arakawa. Her flawless performance stunned the favorites and propelled her to the top for Japan's first gold of these games, and first ever in this event.
Cohen was shocked she even made it to the podium.
Sasha Cohen, US Figure Skater: "For the performance, I think silver medal is very generous. I didn't think I was going to get a medal. To me it's just a ribbon and a piece of metal. It's kind of what you do out there is what you take home with you."
Kimmie Meissner and Emily Hughes finished sixth and seventh and are now looking to 2010 in Vancouver.
Kimmie Meissner, US Figure Skater: "This was a really good learning experience and now I know what I have to work on."
Emily Hughes, US Figure Skater: "I felt I skated better than the last competition. And you know there is definitely room for improvement. But I'm really happy with what I did."
America's aerialist Speedy Peterson showed off the Hurricane, but it did little damage to the field as the judges were less than impressed.
The gold went to another underdog, China's Han Xiaopeng, who never placed better than 20th in a major world competition.
And, while the favorite won in women's parallel giant slalom, it was the boarder standing on the bronze platform who was a surprise. American Rosey Fletcher was considered a long shot, but used her underdog status as motivation.
Rosey Fletcher: "I like being in that spot, you know."
Tonight Chad Hedrick goes for his third medal when he races in the 10-thousand meter skate.
The US men go for bronze in curling.
The four-man bobsled with locals Steve Holcomb and Billy Schuffenhauer gets underway with runs one and two.
