AMNA NAWAZ: All right,## let's turn now to th.. In the women's bobsled, Elana Meyers# Taylor won the gold.

And her American## teammate Kaillie Humphries took bronze.

Meyers# Taylor has now won six medals in her career,## tying with Bonnie Blair as the most decorated# U.S.

female athlete in Winter Olympics history.

Eileen Gu, American-born but competing# for China, won silver in what's known as## the free ski big air event.

She was edged# out for the gold by Canada's Megan Oldham.

As for the medal leaderboard, the# U.S.

is now in third place with 19## medals total.

Norway leads with# 28, and Italy is second with 23.

Liz Landers has a look now at how Team USA is# doing overall, including the disappointment## for Ilia Malinin and a gold medal rematch in# women's hockey between the U.S.

and Canada.

LIZ LANDERS: Indeed, Amna, one of the most# shocking moments was when American figure## skating sensation Ilia Malinin, who's been# nicknamed the Quad God and was favored to## win gold, stumbled twice during the free# skate, leaving him with eighth place.

He posted on social media about the --# quote -- "invisible battles" that he## has been dealing with, which# concerned some of his fans.

I'm joined now by Christine Brennan, who's been# covering the Winter Olympics for USA Today.

Christine, thanks so much for joining us.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, USA Today:# Oh, my pleasure, Liz.

Thank you.

LIZ LANDERS: Let's start with Ilia Malinin.

He was## favored to win gold in the men's free# skate.

He ended up in eighth place.

And Monday morning he shared on Instagram,## saying -- quote -- "Vile online hatred attacks# the mind and fear lures it into the darkness."

What do you think happened in that free skate?# Was it a technical issue or was it mental?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN: He said right afterwards, Liz,# that it was mental as he was doing interview after## interview, calmly, patiently, kindly answering# every question over and over again, remarkable, a## remarkable display for a 21-year-old who had just# had the worst performance of his young career.

But he talked about the mental aspect.

And I have# covered him through really the length of his time## at the top of the sport the last four years.# He was the last skater.

He had a nice lead.## All he needed to do was a few quads and# he would have that Olympic gold medal.

And he looked so nervous.

You could see it# in his face.

He was breathing deeply.

He was## looking over at his father, who's his coach,# and looking for reassurance.

So it was clear## to me when he came out onto that ice that the# pressure of the Olympics was extraordinary.

And if anyone, as you watch the Olympics# on TV, if you wonder, how difficult is it,## how much pressure is it, well, there's your# answer, because Ilia Malinin was a lock to## win the gold.

He's been skating great# for a year.

He hadn't lost since 2023.

So you could see how this young man crumbled# under the pressure.

So difficult to watch.## Such a tough thing.

But also his honesty and# the way he's handled it has been remarkable## and I think uplifting for a lot of# people who are worried about him.

LIZ LANDERS: The U.S.

women's hockey team just# put up a dominant performance against Sweden.## They had a shutout 5-0.

What is next for this# team on their way to maybe winning a gold medal?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN: Exactly.# Well, it is the finals.

That's where they -- we expected them to# be, this really superb U.S.

women's hockey## team.

And that is exactly where they will be# now.

And it's so interesting, because they## won two golds in the up to this point seven# Olympic tournaments.

This is the eighth## involving women's hockey at the Olympics.# And the Canadians have won the other five.

So the idea of the U.S.

and Canada just squaring# off, and one or the other probably is going to## win it.

But the United States a week ago# absolutely dominated Canadians in early## round action 5-0.

That's the same score the# U.S.

beat Sweden today here at the Olympics.

So this team has veterans, Hilary Knight,## Kendall Coyne, and younger players,# and they seem to be a juggernaut.

LIZ LANDERS: Switching to a different sport,# speed skater Jordan Stolz has been grabbing## headlines after he won the 1,000 and 500# meter races, capturing gold in both of those.

There was a bit of a wonky start in one of those.# How did he set an Olympic record in that race?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN: Because he's better# than anybody else.

And he's peaking at## the exact right moment.

We talked# about pressure with Ilia Malinin.

And Jordan Stolz and Ilia Malinin were both# born in 2004.

Jordan Stolz is about seven## months older than Ilia Malinin.

So these are# young men facing incredible pressure.

Stolz## had an Olympics before.

So he did not -- he# has one Games his belt in 2022 in Beijing.

And now he has become the first man since# Eric Heiden to win both the 500 and the## 1,000 in the same Olympic Games.

And Eric# Heiden, of course, did that with his five## gold medals in Lake Placid in 1980.

Stolz has# two more events.

If he goes four for four,## he will have achieved his great dream,# although that ice is slippery.

You never know.

But he is -- right now is truly on# a roll.

And I think everyone is just## watching -- enjoying watching one of these# superlative performances of these Olympic Games.

LIZ LANDERS: Despite some of these# highlights that we have seen from## Team USA, we have also seen some disappointments.

And there's a medal count battle# with the host country, Italy,## who's at number two with Norway leading in# first place.

Where do you see Team USA heading?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN: The last four Olympics# going -- actually the last five Olympics,## the U.S.

has had nine gold medals# when it ended going all the way## back to Salt Lake City.

Us can get to# nine gold at this Olympics as well.

But you're right.

When you look at Lindsey Vonn,# whether she would have won the gold or not,## but clearly that story riveting in# the first few days of the Olympics,## but obviously ultimate disappointment# and injury, of course, for Lindsey Vonn.

And then Madison Chock and Evan# Bates, three-time role champions,## gold medal favorites in ice dance, did# not win the gold.

They won the silver.

The## U.S.

did win the team competition in figure# skating.

And -- but there have been, again,## others right now.

Mikaela Shiffrin, we will see# how it goes with the slalom in a couple of days,## but she has not won a medal.

And, of course,# she was such a star in 2014 and then 2018,## and has gone through -- been so honest# about her struggles over the last few years.

But they're still -- the U.S.

is still doing# fine.

And with hockey and Jordan Stolz,## and of course, there could be# other events, the U.S., I think,## is going to hang in there.

But you're# right about Italy.

In the first few days,## they actually surpassed their greatest Winter# Olympic total going back to Lillehammer in 1994.

So the Italians are celebrating as only Italians# can.

They're loving these Olympics.

They are just## pouring it on, getting medals everywhere from# the mountains to figure skating and everywhere## in between.

And that often happens for a host# country, where you have put all that effort,## the pride, the support of the home# nation.

It's a home game, obviously.

And Italy is certainly showing that when you# have that home field advantage or home ice## advantage or home snow advantage, they're taking# a total advantage of it and clearly having the## Games of the entire nation, just something that# they have never seen quite like this before.

LIZ LANDERS: Christine Brennan of USA Today,## thank you so much for sharing# your Olympic reporting with us.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN: Oh, my# pleasure.

Thank you, Liz.