GANGNEUNG, South Korea — Mia Manganello crossed the finish line, glanced at the videoboard and let out a yell.

She then grabbed hands with American teammates Heather Bergsma and Brittany Bowe, and the trio thrust their arms in the air.

The Americans had reason to celebrate Wednesday. They finally won a long-track speedskating medal at the PyeongChang Olympics, ending a U.S. drought for the women dating to the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

“It was just an uproar of emotions of screaming and cheering,” a smiling Manganello said.

The trio earned bronze in the women’s team pursuit, beating Canada by 0.45 seconds with a time of 2 minutes, 59.27 seconds. They surged to the lead before slowing near the end as the fast early pace took its toll.

“I could barely see straight as we crossed the line so it took a second to register,” Bergsma said. “It was like all the weight lifted off my shoulders.”

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Japan dethroned the Netherlands in the women’s team pursuit for the gold.

MEN’S TEAM PURSUIT: Veteran Havard Bokko helped Norway beat South Korea for the gold medal.

Norway first beat the Netherlands in the team pursuit semifinals. They followed that with a victory over host nation South Korea in the final.

MEN’S HOCKEY: Pavel Francouz stopped all five shooters and Petr Kouka scored the shootout winner as the Czech Republic eliminated the United States with a 3-2 victory.

Canada advanced to the semifinals with a gritty 1-0 win over Finland but lost starting goaltender Ben Scrivens to an undisclosed upper-body injury.

Maxim Noreau’s goal 55 seconds into the third period was enough for Canada.

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Russia swept aside Norway 6-1 to set up a semifinal against the Czech Republic.

Patrick Reimer scored in overtime and Danny aus den Birken made 31 saves to put Germany into the semifinals with a stunning 4-3 upset of top-seeded Sweden.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY: Noora Raty stopped 20 shots to lead Finland to a 3-2 victory over the Russians for the bronze medal.

WOMEN’S BOBSLED: Germany’s Mariama Jamanka – winless in 23 career top-tier starts in her sport coming into the PyeongChang Games – put together four nearly flawless runs on her way to winning gold, holding off Elana Meyers Taylor of the U.S. and Kaillie Humphries of Canada on her way to the medal podium’s top step.

Jamanka and brakeman Lisa Buckwitz finished their four runs in 3 minutes, 22.45 seconds. Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs of the U.S. were second in 3:22.52, the 0.07-second margin the closest between first and second in any Olympic women’s bobsled race.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Marit Bjoergen made Olympic history as she won her 14th medal at the Winter Games by taking bronze with her Norwegian teammates in the team sprint. That made her the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, breaking the tie she held with Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.

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The 37-year-old Bjoergen has won four medals at the PyeongChang Games. She took gold in the women’s 20-kilometer relay, silver in the 15-kilometer skiathlon and bronze in the 10-kilometer freestyle. She still has one event remaining – the 30-kilometer mass start on Sunday – if she chooses to participate.

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Martin Johnsrud won the men’s team sprint, giving Norway a 13th medal in cross-country events at PyeongChang.

A team of Russians took silver and France edged out Sweden for third.

WOMEN’S BIG AIR SNOWBOARDING: Anna Gasser edged two-time gold medalist Jamie Anderson to win gold.

Gasser, the reigning world champion, stomped the last of her three jumps, a double cork 1080 that saw the Austrian flip twice while spinning three times. Her score of 96 was the highest of the day and gave her a total of 185.00.

Anderson, who last week captured her second Olympic gold in women’s slopestyle, led going into the final round but sat down while trying to land her last jump. Gasser took full advantage. The 26-year-old raised her arms in triumph and embraced Anderson after the score flashed.

Zoi Sadowski Synnott earned bronze to give New Zealand its first Winter Olympic medal in 26 years.


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