PYEONGCHANG 2018: American Shaun White made history at Phoenix Snow Park on Wednesday after he won gold in the men's halfpipe event and became the first athlete to win three Olympic gold medals in snowboard.
"Happy days, wow," he said.
"A third Olympic gold medal at my fourth Olympics - I couldn't be prouder."
White was joined on the podium by Japan's Ayumu Hirano who took silver and Australia's own Scotty James who also made history as the nation's first male athlete to win an Olympic halfpipe medal. Find out more on James' performance HERE.
The pair skating competition was also underway at Gangneung Ice Arena on Wednesday with World Champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong (China) taking the lead ahead of Olympic Athletes of Russia's Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov.
The competition will conclude on Thursday with the free skating event. Find out more on the Olympic debut performance by Australia's Harley Windsor and Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya HERE.
Meanwhile, at the Alpensia Cross-Country Skiing Centre, Germany's Eric Frenzel won his second back-to-back Olympic gold in the Nordic Combined.
"I think after the jump I was in a really great position," he said.
"I knew it was a good jump. I was a little bit lucky with the wind - that was one of the big reasons why you today needed quite a little bit of luck so at the end I'm really happy."
Japan's Akito Watabe once again claimed silver in his second Winter Games and was joined on the podium by Austria's Lukas Klapfer who took bronze.
"Racing was difficult when chasing in the group," Watabe said.
"I was struggling a little leading the group [but] I am really satisfied with my race. I did my best today and it is a great fight."
The Netherlands' Jorien Ter Mores won gold in the 1000m women's speed skating and said she had "worked really hard" to secure a fifth gold medal for her country.
"I had a lot of struggles at the beginning of the season, did some changes towards the Olympics and it paid off," she said.
The remaining spots on the podium went to Japan's Nao Kodaira (silver) and Miho Takagi (bronze).
"Silver and bronze, we're now stepping on the podium, and we're happy about that," Kodaira said.
"However, after the race, we did say that we wish we were one step higher. So yes, we're a little frustrated, however, to Japanese speed skating I think this is a great step.
"It wasn't a bad time. The Dutch skater was just so great. At the Olympics, always it's the stronger athlete that wins."
At the Olympic Sliding Centre, Germany's Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt became the third pair to win the doubles luge event at consecutive Olympic Winter Games.
The win not only added Germany's current tally of seven gold medals but became the nation's 17th Olympic gold medal in luge.
Wendl and Arlt were joined by their compatriots Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken who secured bronze and Austria's Peter Penz and Georg Fischler who claimed silver.
The action continues at PyeongChang for Day 6 of the Winter Games. Check back tomorrow for another full international wrap.
David Barden
olympics.com.au
