The agony and the ecstasy

Australia’s Jacqui Cooper set a new world record to lead qualifying in the women’s freestyle aerials, but countrywoman Lydia Ierodiaconou’s career is in limbo after she suffered another serious knee injury during the second round of competition overnight on the slopes at Sauze D’Oulx.

Ranked second in the world and expected to be a serious challenger for the gold medal, Ierodiaconou collapsed in agony following a botched second jump and Australian Olympic physician Peter Braun later confirmed the 24-year-old had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. It is the same injury she endured in June 2005 and she now faces another long rehabilitation, with no guarantee of success.

The incident somewhat overshadowed a brilliant opening performance from Cooper, who stunned her opponents by topping the qualifying leaderboard with a new world mark of 213.56 points. The three-time World Cup champion had suffered a similar injury blow at training prior to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, but she exercised those demons with two magnificent jumps to lead China’s Guo Xinxin by just under nine points.

The winner of Australia’s first Winter Games gold medal four years ago, Alisa Camplin also made it through to tomorrow’s 12-woman final in 10th place, recording a total score of 165.32. But all hopes for a second aerial gold rest with Cooper, as she fends off a strong four-woman Chinese contingent, intent on spoiling Australia’s medal party.

It was disappointment all-round for our other athletes on day twelve of competition in Torino. Australia’s first female bobsledders, Astrid Loch Wilkinson and Kylie Reed, could only manage 14th or second-last position in the final of the women’s bobsleigh, though they can be satisfied with having made it so far in their first Olympic event.

In the women’s figure skating, Australia’s Joanne Carter just missed out on a spot in the final after the short program at the Palavela. She finished in 25th place, only 0.39 of a point away from a start in tomorrow night’s finale.

American Sasha Cohen leads the competition, though she has a slender margin over her two nearest rivals, Russia’s Irina Slutskaya and Shizuka Arakawa of Japan, with under a point separating the top three skaters.

Over at the Oval Lingotto rink, a sell-out crowd rejoiced as Italian speedskater Enrico Fabris surged to a surprise victory in the men’s 1500m. Already a winner of gold and bronze medals at these Games, Fabris gave the host nation another reason to celebrate, recording a time of 1min 45.97sec, which neither of the favourites, Americans Shani Davis or Chad Hedrick, could beat.

Germany head the medal tally after day twelve with nine gold, seven silver and five bronze, with Austria in second place with eight gold, five silver and three bronze. The United States and Russia follow with seven gold medals a piece, while Australia’s sole success has us in 16th position.

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