Long track speed skater Lucas Makowsky, from Regina, poses with school children after being named to Canada's team for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Makowsky has a chance to win a bronze medal Saturday in long track speedskating. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
Saskatchewan athletes are competing in long track speedskating and bobsleigh on Saturday at the Sochi Olympics.
Regina's Lucas Makowsky and his teammates had a chance to win another medal in the team pursuit in long track speedskating Saturday morning.
The event began at 7:51 a.m. CST. Makowsky and Team Canada skated in the third pairing. The Canadians led most of the race, but Poland came back with a late surge to beat Canada by 2.33 seconds and take the bronze. Makowsky and the men's team, which won gold in Vancouver, settled for fourth place.
In the women's team pursuit final races, Canada—including Saskatchewan's Kali Christ—beat team USA to come in fifth place.
Lyndon Rush of Humboldt, seated, will pilot Canada 2 in the four-man bobsled at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Two bobsledders from Saskatchewan made their first two runs Saturday in the four-man bobsleigh.
Lyndon Rush of Humboldt pilots Canada 2, which ended up in tenth place after two runs. By the end of the first half of the event, Canada 2 is the top-placing Canadian team, and the only one to crack the top ten.
Canada 3 includes Saskatoon pusher Ben Coakwell, and is piloted by Justin Kripps. The team earned eighth place after its first run, but fell to the bottom of the pack following a crash in its second run. Canada 3's sled slid sideways down the track near the final curve. All of the athletes walked away from the crash, and supporters at the sliding centre applauded them and cheered.
Saskatoon's Ben Coakwell, standing, is one of the pushers on Canada 3.
The third and fourth runs in 4-man bobsleigh are Sunday.
Meanwhile in Biathlon action Regina's Scott Perras was part of Canada's 4x7.5 kilometre relay team. The Canadian crew ended up placing seventh.
