The Winter Games are officialy in full swing.
Canadian athletes came close, but did not make it to the podium in the first day of competition. However, a handful of B.C. athletes are one step closer, qualifying for finals to take place in the week ahead.
While you were sleeping:
Three B.C. athletes competed in the women鈥檚 7.5 km sprint biathlon, each qualifying for Monday鈥檚 10-kilometre race.
, finishing 40th out of 87 competitors. She completed the course in 23 minutes, 15 seconds.
Vernon鈥檚 Emma Lunder was 54th in 23:30.4 (two targets missed) and Megan Tandy of Prince George was 57th in 23:42.8 (two targets missed).
Jamie Macdonald, who鈥檚 hometown was Fort St. James, also competed in the Short Track women鈥檚 500 m event, but received a penalty and did not qualify or the finals.
But Macdonald did qualify for the finals in the 3,000 metre relay, along with Marianne St-Gelais, Kim Boutin and Kasandra Bradette 鈥� all from Quebec. The foursome will be up against China, Italy and Korea on Feb. 20.
Defending Olympic champion Charles Hamelin came up short and not finishing the men鈥檚 short track 1500 m event. Meanwhile, Canada鈥檚 Samuel Girard finished just off the podium in fourth. 鈥淚t was a tough race. I got a few good guys in there. I tried to make my way to the front and at some point it went wrong. It happens in short track,鈥� Hamelin told reporters Saturday.
Canadian mixed doubles curlers John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes have also clinched a spot in the semifinals.
Who, what, when to watch (PST):
5 p.m.: Snowboard 鈥� Men鈥檚 slopestyle
Four Canadians will be heading into the final run in the men鈥檚 slopestyle. Returning contender and former MTV TV star Mark McMorris, of Saskatchewan, will compete alongside Tyler Nicholson of Ontario, and Sebastien Toutant and Max Parrot both of Quebec. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to get a few more rotations hopefully at practice and step up the rail line a bit,鈥� McMorris told reporters Saturday.
6 p.m.: Alpine skiing 鈥� Men鈥檚 downhill
Manuel Osborne-Paradis, of Invermere, along with Whistler鈥檚 Broderick Thompson will both be representing Canada. Osborne-Pradis is ranked 20th internationally, while Thompson is ranked 24th.
8:30 p.m.: Snowboard 鈥� Women鈥檚 slopestyle
B.C. born-and-raised Spencer O鈥橞rien, 30, is returning for her second Olympic Games, competing in slopestyle alongside Canadians Laurie Blouin and Brooke Voigt, who鈥檚 currently calling Whistler home.
Olympics highlight of the day:
The Winter Games are in full swing, but we still can鈥檛 get enough o the opening ceremonies. Check out this video by Summerland鈥檚 Justin Kripps, as we he walked into the stadium repping red and white for his country ahead of his bobsled events:
Here. We. Go!
鈥� Justin Kripps (@justinkripps)
