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5 to Watch Recap: Chloe Kim Takes Gold, White Qualifies, Davis Falls Short

Some of Team USA's most recognizable names and highly-anticipated newcomers made their Pyeongchang debuts

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The Olympic ice and slopes saw plenty of hot competition as some of Team USA's most recognizable names and highly-anticipated newcomers made their Pyeongchang debuts. 

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The day was nothing short of exciting as teen snowboard sensation Chloe Kim took home her first Olympic gold medal with a thrilling halfpipe performance and Shaun White came out swinging in the men's qualifier. 

Here are five things you might have missed Monday night and Tuesday morning (CT): 

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1. Shani Davis, U.S. Speedskating Fall Short Again

Four-time Olympic medalist Shani Davis made his highly-anticipated Pyeongchang debut Tuesday, falling short of both another shot at the podium and the redemption he sought after Sochi.

Davis - arguably Chicago's most famed speedskater - finished 19th of 34 competitors in the men's 1,500-meter race with a time of 1:46.74.

After a zero-medal performance four years ago, Davis and his fellow long-track teammates, including the Chicago-area's Brian Hansen, were on a quest for redemption. Hansen finished just above Davis with a time of 1:46.44 for a 15th place finish.

After nabbing headlines for comments he made following the selection of Team USA's flag bearer, Davis skipped the opening ceremony to rest for Tuesday's competition.

He'll have some time once again to prepare for one more chance at the podium, with his next event, the men's 1,000-meter race, scheduled for Feb. 23.

Hansen will hit the ice a second time the following day for the women’s/men’s mass start speedskating event on Feb. 24.

Tuesday's 1,500-meter speedskating event will air on NBC between 2 and 4 p.m. CST.

Full recap: Chicago's Davis, Hansen Fall Short in 1500m Olympic Speedskating

Must-See: Ice, Snow, and Love in the Air: Olympic Couples

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2. Kim Takes Gold, White Qualifies

Chloe Kim of the United States won the women's snowboard halfpipe on Tuesday with an electric first run that none of her competitors could surpass.

Kim, whose parents are from South Korea, has dominated the women’s halfpipe in the years since the Sochi Games, when she was too young to compete. In 2016, she became the first woman to land back-to-back 1080s in a halfpipe contest. She began snowboarding at age 4 with her father, but does not like snow. 

"Actually, I hate it," Kim told Sports Illustrated in January. "I grew up in Southern California.”

White won gold medals in the men’s halfpipe in his first two Olympics, but finished fourth in Sochi in 2014. He qualified for the finals in Pyeongchang. He'll go for a medal on Wednesday after advancing.

Full recap: In Case You Missed It: Chloe Kim, Shaun White's Dominance

Must-see: Chloe Kim's Mid-Competition Ice Cream Tweet Sparks Hashtag

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3. U.S. Women's Hockey Beats Russia 5-0, Moves to Semifinals

U.S. women's hockey team was in total control Tuesday, beating the Olympic Athletes from Russia 5-0 in their second preliminary round play in Pyeongchang. The win secured them a spot in the semifinals.

Kacey Bellamy opened the scoring for the U.S. in the first period with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson scored two consecutive goals in just six seconds for the U.S in the second period. USA Hockey said on Twitter that Lamoureux-Davidson set a record for the quickest two goals in U.S. Olympic Women's history.

Led by local stars Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne, alongside Meghan Duggan, Kacey Bellamy, and the Lamoureux-Morando twins, who are appearing in their fifth straight Olympics, the U.S. squad, which won its opener against Finland, looks to improve upon silver-medal finishes to Canada at the last two Games.

The women's team has made the podium in every Olympics since it earned the very first women's ice hockey Olympic gold in 1998, but that competition was the only time they won it all.

Full recap: Women's Ice Hockey: US Beats Russia 5-0, Moves to Semifinals

Must-see: Leslie Jones Captures Olympic Spirit with Amazing Commentary

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4. Hamlin’s Luge Career Doesn’t End With a 2nd Olympic Medal

Hamlin is retiring after the Pyeongchang Games, her fourth Olympics. The medal she won at the 2014 Winer Olympics was Team USA’s first Olympic singles luge medal in the sport’s 50-year Olympic history. 

Fellow American Emily Sweeney crashed in the final round of sliding, bringing the competition to a halt as she received medical attention, but she was ultimately able to walk off the track. 

Defending Olympic champion Natalie Geisenberger of Germany won another gold.

Full recap: American Luger Hamlin Misses Podium at Olympic Swan Song

Developing update: US Luger Emily Sweeney Hurt in Crowd-Silencing Spinout

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5. Speedskater Maame Biney Doesn’t Make 500-Meter Semifinals

Maame Biney, the first black woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic speedskating team, didn’t progress out of the quarterfinals in the 500-meter short track event.

After an uncharacteristically slow start, the 18-year-old came last in her heat, where only the first two of the four skaters move on to the semifinals. But she faced stiff competition — China’s Fan Kexin, who has six world medals in the 500 meter and has been seen as a contender for gold, only managed second place. 

Biney was the only American in contention for the 500 meter, but it won’t be her last event in Pyeongchang. She qualified for the 1,500 meter, which begins Saturday at 4 a.m. CT.

Full recap: Maame Biney eliminated in 500m quarterfinal

Must-see: 'Learning to Curl': Olympic Sport Inspires Homemade Videos

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