Winter Olympics LIVE: Horror fall in halted event as commentator resigns after backlash
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Live updates from the Winter Olympics with Team GB seeking more medals as officials hope for weather improvements for outside events.
16:30, Fri, Feb 20, 2026 Updated: 16:30, Fri, Feb 20, 2026
The freeski qualifiers were halted on Thursday evening after a bad fall by Cassie Sharpe
Day 14 of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics has arrived and plenty more medals are up for grabs over the coming hours.
The curling continues to be a dramatic event for Team GB with the women's team brutally eliminated before the men's side qualified for the gold medal match. That is due to take place against Canada on Saturday evening.
An unfortunate highlight of yesterday saw Canadian freeskier Cassie Sharpe suffer a bad injury with Finley Melville Ives, who was a gold medal favourite, unfortunately crashing out badly in the men's freeski halfpipe qualifiers.
Ice hockey takes centre stage later today with Canada facing Finland and USA taking on Slovakia. If the American's do reach the final, US president Donald Trump is expected to be in attendance.
There are several other big events on today including the speed skating, bobsleigh and freestyle skiing today. To stay across all of it, keep your eyes on this page for live updates throughout the day...
15 mins ago16:30 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Paralympics boycott grows
Lithuania has become the latest nation to announce plans to boycott the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony , joining a growing protest over Russia's participation in the competition. Russian athletes will be permitted to compete under their national flag at the event, marking the first time this has been allowed since the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Their suspension was implemented in 2023, separate from the ban imposed ahead of the 2020 Games due to doping violations. Despite the ban, selected Russian and Belarusian athletes, who were also impacted by the suspension, have been granted permission to compete as neutral athletes under the Olympic flag - but now the national flags will return. Lithuania, along with Poland and Ukraine, have made their position clear on the issue .
READ THE FULL STORY HERE (https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/2173552/winter-paralympics-boycott-russia-ukraine)
45 mins ago16:00 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Curling semi-finals results
The semi-finals of the women's team's curling have both been completed with Sweden and Switzerland progressing to the gold medal match.
Sweden overcame Canada 3-6, with Switzerland beating USA 4-7.
Both semi-finals finished within a few seconds of each other.
Canada and USA will take place in the bronze medal match at 1:05pm tomorrow afternoon, while the gold medal match will take place at 10:05am on Sunday morning.
1 hour ago15:31 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Catastrophic incident avoided
A catastrophic injury was narrowly avoided at the Winter Olympics when Nordic combined skier Ben Loomis was struck by track equipment whilst accelerating down a 370-foot ski jump ramp.
Loomis competed in the men's Olympic Nordic combined team sprint at the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium, where officials deployed leaf blowers to clear snow from the in-run hill to ensure consistent speeds and a safe surface. As the 27-year-old pushed off from the start bar and built up speed, one of the blowers was not removed in time. It struck the Team USA star on the shoulder as he descended almost immediately into his run.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE (https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/2173344/Winter-Olympics-ski-jump)
2 hours ago15:00 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Finley Melville Ives update
Representatives of Finley Melville Ives have delivered an update on the halfpipe world champion after his heavy fall during qualification.
He was quickly attended to by medics before being stretchered off for further assessment.
"For those asking... Fin is with his family and being assessed by medical professionals," his representatives wrote. "He is stable and positive. Thanks for the love."
2 hours ago14:41 Matthew Abbott (https://www.express.co.uk/journalist/123368/Matthew-Abbott)
More medals for Norway after one-two in the men's 15km mass start biathlon
Johannes Dale-Skjevdal has comfortably won the men's 15km mass start biathlon in a time of 39:17.1.
Sturla Holm Laegreid came 10.5 seconds behind his Norwegian teammate to complete a one-two for the medal table leaders.
France's Quentin Fillon Maillet came a further 15.1 seconds behind to complete the podium.
Johannes Dale-Skjevdal won Norway a record-breaking 17th gold medal for Norway at a Winter Olympics
3 hours ago14:05 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Men's Aerials final result
China's Wang Xindi has won gold in the final of the men's Aerials, just a few days after his wife achieved the same feat in the women's event.
He beat off competition from Noe Roth of Norway and China's Li Tianma.
Men's Aerials medals
Wang Xindi (CHN) - 132.60
Noe Roth (NOR) - 131.58
Li Tianma (CHN) - 123.93
3 hours ago13:29 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Men's Aerials super final confirmed
The athletes going into the super final for the men's Aerials have been confirmed.
Scores are now reset with athletes battling it out for the medals.
Noe Roth (Switzerland) - 131.56 Pirmin Werner (Switzerland) - 127.50 Qi Guangpu (China) - 121.68 Wang Xindi (China) - 120.36 Li Tianma (China) - 119.91 Sun Jiaxu (China) - 117.26
4 hours ago13:01 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Gus Kenworthy promise
Team GB's Gus Kenworthy has promised that he has 'more in the locker' for tonight's freeski halfpipe finals.
He secured qualification in ninth place earlier today.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said:
"I feel good, I'm happy to have put one down, I played it safe in my first run but put down a run that I knew I'd be able to land cleanly, not a super technical run but I felt it was enough to get me through today.
"I have more in the locker.
"Second run I tried to practice a little with the two 14s, but I definitely want to put those together along with some other stuff and keep the amplitude up."
The final takes place at 6:30pm tonight.
4 hours ago12:25 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Women's ski cross medals
Daniela Maier of Germany has won gold in the Women's ski-cross, beating off competition from Fanny Smith and Sandra Naeslund, who take silver and bronze.
The gold is two better than a controversial bronze medal that Germany won four years ago in the same event in Beijing.
Women's ski cross medals
Daniela Maier (GER)
Fanny Smith (SUI)
Sandra Naeslund (SWE)
5 hours ago12:02 Amie Wilson (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Amie+Wilson&b=1)
Freeski halfpipe qualification
Here's a full list of qualifiers for the men's freeski halfpipe final:
Brendan Mackay(Canada) - 92.75 Nick Goepper(USA) - 90.00 Henry Sildaru(Estonia) - 88.00 Alex Ferreira(USA) - 85.75 Hunter Hess(USA) - 85.00 Birk Irving(USA) - 84.25 Andrew Longino(Canada) - 83.50 Dylan Marineau(Canada) - 82.25 Gus Kenworthy(Great Britain) - 81.25 Seunghun Lee(Korea) - 76.00 Benjamin Lynch(Ireland) - 75.75 Ben Harrington(New Zealand) - 75.25
5 hours ago11:34 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Final six spots confirmed and Melville Ives update
We have our 12 men's freeski halfpipe finalists confirmed and an update on the condition of Finley Melville Ives.
In addition to those that qualified from the first run, Team GB's Gus Kenworthy has qualified in ninth with Canadian duo Andrew Longino and Dylan Marineua in above him.
Lee Seunghun, Ben Lynch and Ben Harrington are the three jumpers that make up the final spots. The fight for those medals will take place this evening.
We have also had an update on Finley Melville Ives with BBC presenter Hazel Irvine stating that he was conscious and talking upon heading onto the stretcher.
Finley Melville Ives was conscious after his crash in the men's freeski halfpipe
6 hours ago11:13 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Melville Ives message sent
We are still awaiting confirmation of who will take the final six spots in the men's freeski halfpipe.
Ben Harrington is one of those clinging on to a position in the final and just before his run, he paid a nice tribute to fellow New Zealander Finley Melville Ives following his fall.
We have also just seen Irishman Ben Lynch sneak into the top 12 with just a few athletes jumping again.
6 hours ago10:32 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Big crash from Finley Melville Ives
Oh no! Promising 19-year-old Finley Melville Ives has crashed badly in the men's freeski halfpipe.
The medics have headed down the course and are attending to the New Zealander. Hopefully he is OK.
6 hours ago10:23 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Half of final line-up confirmed
With all the jumpers for the men's freeski halfpipe having gone, we have our first six finalists confirmed. Take a look at their respective scores below:
Pirmin Werner (Switzerland) - 122.17Qi Guangpu (China) - 120.80Wang Zindi (China) - 118.10Lewis Irving (Canada) - 117.70Connor Curran (USA) - 117.26Oleksandr Okipniuk (Ukraine) - 112.67
As such Team GB's Gus Kenworthy and Liam Richards will go again...
7 hours ago10:05 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Lindsey Vonn retirement verdict
Former skiier Chemmy Alcott has hinted that Lindsey Vonn prioritise her health and retire.
The American suffered a broken leg in a bad crash at the Winter Olympics earlier this month, a moment that left Alcott emotional.
She has now provided a clear verdict on Vonn's future in the sport.
She told BBC: "This isn't about a comeback to skiing right now, this is a comeback to health.
"This leg break, it wasn't a leg break. She absolutely shattered that leg. If you've seen photos of her external cage, there are about eight structures there going into the leg. I am so grateful that she's back home.
"Hopefully that will start this long, long healing process. I absolutely feel for her because on the day that she crashed, her beloved dog also passed away. So she's going through it all right now."
United States' Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women's downhill ra
7 hours ago09:40 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Men's freeski halfpipe underway
Coverage of the first live event today has now commenced with the Men's freeski halfpipe qualifiers ongoing.
We have just seen some incredible heights reached but also some big falls. Team GB's Gus Kenworthy has just gone for his first run and secured fourth position.
Fellow countrymen Liam Richards is still to come this morning.
7 hours ago09:26 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Day 13 highlights
Before the live action gets underway, some of the highlights from yesterday are being shown with four Ski mountaineering semi-finals and then the two finals aired
Making its Winter Olympics debut, competitors ski at a variety of gradiants but it is the changeover in equipment that seemingly decides who wins.
8 hours ago08:54 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Coverage underway shortly
Coverage on Day 14 of the Winter Olympics is about to get underway (9am) on BBC and TNT Sport.
Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine and Jeanette Kwakye have shared presenting duties on the former with plenty of in-studio guests and experts offering insight.
For all the important events coming today, have a look at the post below...
9 hours ago08:12 Kieran Horn (https://www.express.co.uk/search?author=Kieran+Horn&b=1)
Day 14 schedule
After some dramatic curling action yesterday, there are more matches from Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium today.
The men's bronze medal match and women's semi-finals are both set to get underway this afternoon.
At roughly 3:30pm, Team GB's Ellia Smeding will be competing in the 1500m speed skating.
The evening meanwhile, is highlighted by the bobsleigh and freestyle skiing.
9 hours ago0
