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Miller misses out but U.S. guaranteed record medal haul

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • United States guaranteed a record 37th medal of the 2010 Winter Olympics
  • Bode Miller misses out in slalom but U.S. win four-man bobsled and silver in speed skating
  • Hosts Canada win three gold medals for a leading 13, but are just third overall on 25
  • Germany second on 29 medals after winning 10th gold in women's speed skating

(CNN) -- American skier Bode Miller failed in his bid for an unprecedented medal haul but the United States will finish the 2010 Winter Olympics on Sunday with a record total after winning gold and silver on Saturday.

Miller failed to qualify for the second run of the men's slalom, meaning he ended with three medals -- but missed out on a record of four and a complete collection in the five alpine disciplines.

However, compatriot Steve Holcomb led the U.S. to victory in the four-man bobsleigh event at the Whistler Sliding Center for a ninth total gold, and the Americans were second behind hosts Canada in the men's long-track speed-skating team pursuit final.

The U.S. had already won 34 medals going into the 16th day of the Vancouver Games, and were guaranteed two more after qualifying for the speed skating and Sunday's men's ice hockey final against hosts Canada.

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Holcomb's gold meant the U.S. will move one clear of Germany's previous record tally of 36 from 2002, with the only other event on Sunday the men's 50-kilometer cross-country ski race.

The Germans are second overall this year with 29 medals, 10 of them gold after victory in the women's speed skating team pursuit final.

Canada are third on 25 after three golds on Saturday which took the home nation to an unbeatable total of 13.

Jasey Jay Anderson won the men's snowboard parallel giant slalom, while Canada's men's curling team defended their title.

Alpine skiing

Miller had earlier won gold in the combined, silver in the super-G and bronze in the downhill to add to his two second-place finishes from 2002, making him the most-decorated American skier.

He was seeking to become the first skier to win medals in each of the five alpine events, and the first to claim four podiums at the same Olympics.

It's unfortunate to make a mistake so early in the course before you really have a rhythm for it
--Bode Miller
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But in difficult conditions after heavy snow, the 32-year-old was one of 48 of the 102 starters who failed to complete the first run after missing an early gate.

Compatriot Ted Ligety, the combined champion in Turin four years ago, had earlier gone off the course and Austria's world champion Manfred Pranger also missed out.

"It's unfortunate to make a mistake so early in the course before you really have a rhythm for it. But that's the way slalom goes," Miller said in a team statement.

"When you take risks in slalom, you don't only take risks on the bottom half. You take it from the very first gate. And if you don't, you can give away a tenth of a second on the first two gates.

"But overall this Olympics was amazing how many things went my way. I really couldn't be much happier. To have three medals, and the two medals I didn't get I skied hard."

Italy's Giuliano Razzoli followed up his leading time from the first run by winning gold from Croatia's Ivica Kostelic, clocking a total of one minute 39.32 seconds.

Kostelic, the older brother of women's skiing great Janica Kostelic, won his second silver of the Games in 1:39.48, with Sweden's Andre Myhrer edging out defending champion Benjamin Raich of Austria for the bronze.

Austria won all three medals in the event four years ago, but fell flat this time with Marcel Hirscher fifth and 2006 silver medallist Reinfried Herbst back in 10th.

Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong was second from last on his Olympic debut.

The "Snow Leopard" clocked 2:22.60 to be ahead of only Albania's Erjon Tola (2:43.88).

Bobsleigh

Holcomb followed up his world title last year, the United States' first in 50 years, by claiming the Americans' first gold in the four-man bobsleigh since 1948.

He and his crew of Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curtis Tomasevicz clocked a combined four-heat time of 3:24.46 to head off Andre Lange's Germany team (3:24.84 ), with Canada's Lyndon Rush narrowly edged into bronze (3:24.85).

Two-time defending champion Lange had been hoping to add to his victory in the two-man event for a fifth career gold in what was his final race before retiring.

Speed skating

Canada claimed their first speed skating gold of 2010 as Denny Morrison, Lucas Makowsky and Mathieu Giroux headed off the U.S. team of Chad Hedrick, Brian Hansen and Jonathan Kuck in the men's pursuit.

The home trio, who set two Olympic records in qualifying for the final, clocked 3:41.37 as they won by 0.21 seconds.

The Netherlands team of Sven Kramer, Jan Blokhuijsen and Mark Tuitert won bronze after triumphing in the B final against Norway with a new Olympic record time of 3:39.95.

Germany won the women's event after only just scraping into the final, where they came from behind in the final 600 meters to defeat Japan.

Anna Friesinger-Postma crawled across the line in the semi after falling on the final lap but the Germans still headed off the U.S. to qualify.

She did not race in the final but teammates Stephanie Beckert, Daniela Anschutz Thomas and Katrin Mattscherodt earned her a third career gold to successfully defend Germany's title, finishing just 0.02 seconds ahead of Japan's Masako Hozumi, Nao Kodaira and Maki Tabata.

Poland won bronze after beating the U.S. in the B final.

Cross country skiing

World champion Justyna Kowalczyk won the women's 30-kilometer cross country event to deny Norway's Marit Bjoergen a fourth gold medal of the Games.

The Pole crossed the line just 0.3 seconds ahead of her rival to complete a complete set of medals this month.

Finland's Aino-Kaisa Saarinen picked up her second bronze this month, finishing more than a minute behind the leading duo.

Snowboarding

Anderson claimed gold in the men's parallel giant slalom at the same Whistler-Blackcomb venue where he won two world titles in 2005.

The 34-year-old defeated Austria's Benjamin Karl in the main final, while France's Mathieu Bozzetto claimed bronze after beating Russia's Stanislav Detkov in the third-place playoff.

Curling

Defending men's champions Canada defeated Norway 6-3 in the final in front of a jubilant home crowd.

Skip Kevin Martin guided his team of John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Benjamin Hebert, Adam Enright to victory, leading 3-0 after five ends.

The Norwegian quintet of Thomas Ulsrud, Torger Nergaard, Christoffer Svae, Haavard Vad Petersson, Thomas Loevold snatched back two points at the next, but Canada immediately rebounded with their own double and held on for victory.

Martin's men were the first to go through undefeated, having beaten Norway 7-6 in the round-robin stage.

Switzerland won the men's bronze medal game, beating Sweden 5-4 on Saturday after earning two points at the 10th and final end.

The Swedes had led 4-3 after a point at the seventh but failed to win their first medal in the event for the first time since its inaugural staging in 1924.

Ice hockey

Finland rallied from a 3-1 deficit on Sunday to defeat Slovakia and claim the bronze medal in men's ice hockey.

The Finnish team took the early lead on a first period power play with a goal from Sami Salo. But the Slovaks battled back, scoring three times in the second period on goals by Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa and Pavol Demitra.

Two goals by Olli Jokinen led a four-goal third-period charge by Finland. Jokinen scored the game winner with 11 minutes left in the game.

Valtteri Filppula scored an empty-net insurance goal with about 10 seconds left as the Slovaks repeatedly fired away at the Finnish goal.

Finland won the silver medal in men's ince hockey in Turin in 2006. On Sunday, the United States and host Canada battle for the gold medal.

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