A hug, a wave, a big win for American mixed runners

BEIJING – American mixed-race Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys survived an extraordinary round against Sweden on Friday for an much-needed Olympic win, hugging them quickly and then finding two friendly faces waving from a ghostly quiet and distant corner. mostly empty Ice Cube.

Disguised face, of course, but definitely a friendly face. Persinger and Plys were pretty sure they waved to team psychologist Carly Anderson and nutritionist Kaela Colvard, who were the few spectators to see the Americans take an 8-7 win in the round robin to break their record 2-2.

“It’s hard to say with the masks on. I think we had our sports psychologist and nutritionist in the auditorium,” Persinger said. “They’ve kind of been around our team and especially encouraged us to come back after two days of defeat.”

Every little part helps in these games, which are played in a bubble environment because of COVID-19. This means that the family cannot participate. With only a few spectators getting in, the atmosphere is quite different from the 2008 Summer Olympics, when a rowdy crowd watched Michael Phelps win a record eight swimming golds at the same spot then known as the Water Cube.

“We can’t even say good enough about our sports psychologist Carly and Kaela and our entire team,” Plys said. “It’s been hard for everyone. It’s been hard for them, but they’ve left their feelings behind and really made sure we’re taken care of and that we’re in a good place to keep playing.”

With the victory, the Americans shared fifth place with China and the Czech Republic on the 10-team field. After Round Robin, the top four teams advance to the semifinals.

It also got Plys and Persinger in a great mood as they headed to the opening a few hours later as they followed the men’s jump and defensive gold medalist John Shuster, the first curler voted to carry the U.S. flagBird’s Nest.

“Hell, it’s going to be awesome,” said Plys, a two-time Olympic champion who also belongs to the men’s team. “Before we set out on this trip, walking to the ceremonies was already a highlight. When I get to do it with my teammate with a ticket in hand, it’s going to be a memorable evening. I probably have a phone. with our teammates. “

The Sweden-USA match was the last of Friday’s four games to end. The teams exchanged leads in eight installments, including Sweden jumping forward after three heads and advancing 5-4 in the sixth installment and the United States returning with their own 7-5 lead. . Sweden shared the victory in eighth and the Americans won in ninth. Plys got a huge shot that cleared two Swedish stones from the house.

“It’s as exciting for us as it is for the people at home,” Plys said. “I would sweep over Vicky to give them three, but I went straight to the other end and it was like, ‘Let’s take it back.’ It’s a mixed doubles curling game. crazy, and it’s often a matter of which team is better able to control their emotions through those fluctuations. ”

The Americans lost twice on Thursday.

“It was lightened a bit,” Plys said. “We talked in the locker room before, we had good leftovers and we just decided to forget all the pressure and everything that happened yesterday and we play for each other and play for our families and enjoy as much fun as we can there.”

Italy advanced 4-0 to the Czech Republic 10-2. Australia does it first appearance in Olympic curlingremained undefeated after losing to Britain 9-8 extra heads.