One of the iconic moments for Team USA in these Pyeongchang Olympics was Jessie Diggins pushing down the stretch during the women’s team sprint to earn America’s first-ever cross country gold medal. So it’s fitting that Diggins will end the Olympics by carrying the American flag in Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremonies.
But before Diggins leads Team USA out of the Olympics, there are more medals to be awarded: The host country’s "Garlic Girls "go for gold in women’s curling and the not-Russians go for gold in men’s hockey. The United States will try to spoil a Canada-Germany rematch in the bobsled, and Norway will try to add to an already-historic Olympic medal haul.
Here’s everything you need to watch for the final day of the Winter Olympics:
Historic Gold Medalist Carries the Red, White and Blue
Jessie Diggins captured the United States' first-ever women’s cross-country skiing medal when she and teammate Kikkan Randall won gold in the freestyle team event. Now, the 26-year-old will be the first country-country skier to carry the U.S. flag in the Winter Games’ closing ceremonies.
“I actually thought there maybe had been a mistake. I was like, `What? I can’t believe this,’” Diggins said on the “Today" show. “It is so humbling, and I feel so honored to have been picked.”
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Some of the star power will be in the stands, where President Donald’s Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, will lead the U.S. delegation. The opening ceremony spotlight was on the mysterious Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, who was dubbed “North Korea’s Ivanka.” Will the real Ivanka Trump be able to seize some of that limelight?
As for entertainment, expect K-pop stars CL and the boy band EXO.
Watch the closing ceremony Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC or on digital platforms here.
Watch the closing ceremony live (natural sound only) at 6 a.m. ET on digital platforms here.
Not-Russia Goes for Elusive Hockey Gold
The Soviet Union won the hockey gold medal in the Olympics seven times between 1956 and 1988. The Unified Team, a team of post-Soviet players, won the gold medal in 1992. And when the Russians play for the gold medal on Sunday, they will be competing as OAR, the Olympic Athletes from Russia.
So the Russians are trying to win a ninth hockey gold medal while never actually winning one for Russia.
After failing to win a gold medal at the last six Olympics (regardless of their name), and failing to win any medal at the last three, the Pyeongchang games seemed to be Russia’s best chance in decades. With the National Hockey League missing in action — it refused to allow its players to participate in the Olympics — the Russians entered the tournament as the heavy favorite.
“We’ve been striving for this for years,” said Oleg Znarok, Russia’s coach.
But because of a doping scandal that impacted the country’s entire Olympic program, the Russian national team has been banned from these Olympics — hence the Olympic Athletes from Russia name. If they beat Germany, the Russian flag will not be raised, and the Russian national anthem will not play. .
They face a surprising German team in the gold medal match. The Germans upset Canada in the semifinals, 4-3.
The Russians haven’t needed upsets to reach the finals. After losing to Slovakia 3-2 in its opening game, the Russians won four consecutive games by a combined score of 21-3, including a 6-1 win over Norway in the quarterfinals and a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic in the semifinals. In pool play, the Russians beat the United States, 4-0.
Watch live on NBCSN at 10:30 p.m. ET Saturday or on digital platforms here.
Sweden Beats South Korea’s ‘Garlic Girls' to Win Gold in Women’s Curling
The South Korean women’s curling team fell, in front of a home crowd, to Sweden in the gold medal match, 8-3.
But South Korea’s “Garlic Girls” (dubbed the nickname for their hometown’s locally grown garlic) still earned silver in women’s curling, the country’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport. Korea had never qualified for an Olympic curling tournament before Sochi in 2014.
In Pyeongchang, curling was the busiest sport; from the first match of the new mixed doubles discipline — a day and a half before the lighting of the cauldron — to the end of the women's final, there were 18 straight days of competition, some with as many as four matches in each of three sessions per day.
Pyeongchang’s Final Event: Cross Country 30km Mass Start Classic
Perhaps it’s only fitting that the final event of these Pyeongchang games gives Norway one more chance to add to its record-setting Olympics.
Entering the final stretch of competition, Norway had 37 total medals, tied for the most ever in the Winter Olympics. That includes 13 golds, 14 silvers and 10 bronze.
Norway could add two more medals in the final event, the women’s cross country 30km mass start classic, as Marit Bjoergen and Heidi Weng could both finish on the podium. Bjoergen is already the most decorated winter athlete ever, with 14 total medals, including four (a gold, a silver and two bronze) in Pyeongchang.
Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla could pose the biggest challenge for the Norwegians.
Watch on digital platforms at 1:15 a.m. ET Sunday here.
Germany Wins Gold in 4-Man Bobsled
A German team driven by Francesco Friedrich on Sunday won gold in the four-man bobsled event.
Two teams tied for second and will receive silver medals: South Korea's sled driven by Won Yunjong and a German sled driven by Nico Walther.
It was the first medal for South Korea in bobsled.
For the United States, the sled driven by Codie Bascue finished ninth, while the sleds driven by Nick Cunningham and Justin Olsen finished 19th and 20th, respectively.
Joey Mantia Finishes Ninth in Olympic Mass Start Event
The mass start event made its Olympic debut in Pyeongchangthis this year. Florida's Joey Mantia was the final skater to advance out of the men’s semifinal 2 with three points. Mantia, the reigning world champion, finished ninth in the final.
Mantia just missed out on the bronze medal during the men’s speedskating 1000m on Friday. You can watch his Friday run here.
Nana Takagi, of Japan, was the first-ever mass start Olympic champion. Watch here.
