San Francisco Frontiers - Broken Valieva falls out of medal places as team-mate wins skating gold

Her Russian team-mate Anna Shcherbakova took gold after the 15-year-old Valieva fell several times -- to gasps and screams from the crowd -- in a disastrous free programme.

Another Russian, Alexandra Trusova, took silver, and Japan's Kaori Sakamoto won bronze.

"The importance of this is so huge that I cannot fully understand it yet," said Shcherbakova, herself only 17.

"Now I feel really happy, I showed the best skating at the right moment and right place."

There were high emotions in the Russian camp, with an angry Trusova -- also 17 -- caught on camera saying: "I hate this sport, I hate this sport, I hate all of it. I won't go to the medal ceremony... I don't want to go."

All eyes had been on Valieva, who was in pole position after topping the short programme on Tuesday and had been expected to add the singles title to the team crown she led Russia to before the doping controversy erupted.

The International Olympic Committee had said that for the first time in Olympic history, no medals would be awarded if Valieva finished in the top three because she could yet be punished for taking a banned substance.

In the end that was not a factor as Valieva, dressed in black and red, fell several times in her routine. The distraught teenager had her head in her hands at the end and then broke down as she waited to hear her score.

It was the latest sad chapter in a doping saga which began when Valieva's sample from December 25 tested positive for trimetazidine, a drug used to treat angina but which is banned for athletes by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) because it can boost endurance.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled during the Games that Valieva could continue to skate in the Olympics, but it did not absolve her of doping and the investigation looks set to rumble on well after the action ends in Beijing.

There will be no medal ceremony during these Games for the team event because of Valieva's involvement.

The doping affair has focused attention once more on Russian athletes at Olympic Games.

They are taking part in Beijing under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee because Russia as a country is serving a two-year ban as punishment for a state-sponsored doping programme.

- 'Mind-boggling' for Shiffrin -

Valieva's implosion was the climax of a colourful day at the Olympics featuring a judging controversy, a dramatic crash and more disappointment for US ski ace Mikaela Shiffrin.

Shiffrin saw her last chance of winning an individual medal at these Olympics vanish.

The American crashed out of the alpine combined event, meaning she has failed to complete three races and finished out of the medals in two others -- an almost unthinkable disappointment for one of the world's best skiers.

Michelle Gisin of Switzerland went on to win the combined, retaining her title from four years ago.

The 26-year-old Shiffrin's only chance of any kind of medal is now Saturday's programme-ending mixed team parallel.

"I didn't make it to the finish again and that's like 60 percent of my DNF (did not finish) rate from my entire career has happened at this Olympic Games," she said, describing her performance as "mind-boggling".

- Camera collision -

There was more US disappointment in the women's ice hockey, where Canada beat the Americans 3-2 to avenge a loss in the final four years ago.

Canada raced out to a 3-0 lead in the second period and held on to collect the country’'s fifth Olympic gold in the event.

"It's just so good, it's a great feeling," said Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored twice.

"It was one hell of an effort. This is redemption."

It was all happening meanwhile in freestyle skiing.

Finland's Jon Sallinen had an unfortunate cameraman to thank after flying out of the halfpipe and colliding into him.

The 21-year-old Sallinen said he thought he had broken his collarbone but he was "lucky not to land on my head".

"I maybe got a little cushion from the camera guy," he said.

In the women's ski cross final, Switzerland's Fanny Smith lost out on a bronze medal when she was penalised for kicking a rival. Her coach said it was an accident.

With the Games wrapping up on Sunday, Norway top the medals table on 14 golds, Germany have 10 and the United States have eight.

H.Reyes--SFF