Kostelic, Paerson look to mine more gold

Croatian star Janica Kostelic and Sweden's Anja Paerson, both already Turin Olympic champions, make their last run for Winter Games gold in Italy today in the women's giant slalom.

The showdown at Sestriere could bring Kosetlic her fifth Olympic gold. She captured three golds and a silver at the 2002 Olympics and defended her combined crown this time while taking home silver in Super-G as well.

Paerson captured the Olympic slalom title, her first gold after a silver and bronze in 2002 and two more bronzes at Turin, to bring Sweden its first alpine gold since Pernilla Wiberg won the combined gold at Lillehammer in 1994.

A total of four gold medals are on offer today, including the conclusion of curling, with world power Canada to face Finland for men's gold while Britain and the United States play for the bronze medal.

US speedskater Chad Hedrick, who arrived with dreams of five gold medals, has captured only one entering Friday's 10,000m, his final event.

Hedrick, who won 5,000m gold back on February 11, owns the world record on 12 minutes 55.11 seconds.

But the outspoken 28-year-old Texan will be tested by a Dutch trio of reigning world champion Bob de Jong, 2004 world champion and 2005 world runner-up Carl Verheijen and 5,000m silver medalist Sven Kramer.

Women's cross country offers its traditional closing event, the 30km, with Russia's Julija Tchepalova, the 1998 Nagano Olympic champion, and Czech Katerina Neumannova among many contenders for gold at Pragelato.

Semi-final showdowns in men's ice hockey send Russia against Finland and Sweden against the Czech Republic. The Swedes have not advanced this far since their run to gold in 1994. The gold medal match will be Sunday.

Germany will start a bid to become the first nation to sweep all three Olympic bobsleigh golds when the four-man event opens. Double Olympic champion and defending title-holder Andre Lange leads the charge. The event ends Saturday.

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