United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics

United States at the
2014 Winter Olympics
Flag of the United States
IOC codeUSA
NOCUnited States Olympic Committee
in Sochi
Competitors222 (122 men and 100 women) in 8 sports
Flag bearers Todd Lodwick (opening)[1][2]
Julie Chu (closing)[3][4]
Medals
Ranked 4th
Gold
9
Silver
9
Bronze
10
Total
28
Winter Olympics appearances (overview)

The United States competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from February 7 to 23, 2014. Team USA consisted of 222 athletes competing in all 15 sports.

After winning an Olympic record 37 medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the United States had a somewhat disappointing performance during these games. Although the delegation ranked second in overall medals with 28, it ranked out of the top three in gold medals (with a total of nine) for the first time since Nagano in 1998 when it placed 6th in overall medals and 5th in gold medals.[5] In figure skating, the U.S. won no medals in the men's or women's singles events for the first time since 1936.[6]

Conversely, at the Sanki Sliding Center, the United States won more medals (seven) than any other nation.[7] Steven Holcomb and Steven Langton won the first U.S. medal (a silver) in two-man bobsled in 62 years, while Erin Hamlin earned the first singles luge medal ever for the United States (also bronze). In skeleton, Noelle Pikus-Pace and Matthew Antoine won silver and bronze respectively, the first U.S. medals in that sport since 2002. Overall, the U.S. won four medals in bobsled events, two in skeleton, and one in luge.

Of the nine gold medals won by Team USA, seven were won by first-time Olympians. In snowboarding, Sage Kotsenburg and Jamie Anderson won gold in the inaugural slopestyle events, and Kaitlyn Farrington won the women's halfpipe. In freestyle skiing, Joss Christensen won the inaugural men's slopestyle, David Wise won men's halfpipe, and Maddie Bowman won women's halfpipe. Eighteen-year-old alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin won gold in the slalom in her Olympic debut. Among returning Olympians, Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the first American gold in ice dancing,[8] and Ted Ligety won gold in giant slalom, becoming the first American man to win two Olympic golds in alpine skiing.[9] Fellow alpine skier Bode Miller, competing in his fifth winter games, became the oldest alpine medalist at age 36, winning bronze in the super-G.[10]

The 2014 Games marked the first time a U.S. Olympic team competed in Russia, as the United States and 65 other countries boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden did not attend the 2014 Winter Olympics, reportedly "as a response to the Russian government’s crackdown on LGBT rights and other human rights violations."[11] American nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick was the flag bearer of Team USA for the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony.[12] Four-time ice hockey Olympian Julie Chu was the flag bearer during the closing ceremonies.[13]

Some results were later amended due to the Russian doping scandal.

The United States team entering during the opening ceremony.
  1. ^ "Todd Lodwick named U.S. flag bearer for Sochi Opening Ceremony". Associated Press. Sochi, Russia: NBC. February 5, 2014. Archived from the original on February 6, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  2. ^ "Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony – Flagbearers" (PDF). olympic.org. Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  3. ^ James O'Brien (February 21, 2014). "Julie Chu to be U.S. flag bearer thy Olympics Closing Ceremony". Sochi, Russia: NBC. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  4. ^ "Sochi 2014 Closing Ceremony - Flagbearers" (PDF). The International Olympic Committee (IOC). February 23, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  5. ^ "CHART: Team USA Is On Pace For Its Worst Winter Olympics Since 1998". Business Insider. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  6. ^ Hinnen, Jerry (February 23, 2014). "Setback in Sochi: Breaking down Team USA's 2014 medal tally". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  7. ^ Zaccardi, Nick (February 23, 2014). "Steven Holcomb's four-man bronze caps U.S. sliding rise". NBC Sports.
  8. ^ "Meryl Davis, Charlie White win gold". Associated Press via ESPN.com. February 18, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  9. ^ "Ted Ligety wins second gold medal". Associated Press via ESPN.com. February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  10. ^ Elser, Christopher (February 16, 2014). "Dutch Sweep Speedskating, Miller Is Oldest Alpine Medalist". Bloomberg. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  11. ^ "President Obama joins list of world leaders to snub Sochi Olympics". Salon. December 18, 2013.
  12. ^ "Todd Lodwick Selected As Flag Bearer For 2014 U.S. Olympic Team". United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  13. ^ "Julie Chu Selected As Closing Ceremony Flag Bearer For 2014 U.S. Olympic Team". United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved February 23, 2014.