Page 202 - Ski Binding News Today

Because her school didnt have one. >> reporter: she was your prom date? >> yes. >> reporter: that is fantastic, i love it. when she made the olympic team, walsh vowed he would cheer her on. >> i want to go watch the olympics. >> reporter: but getting to sochi was difficult and expensive, so he turned to the make-a-wish foundation, the group that has granted wishes for decades for sick children, made another one come true, sending the wall walshs to russia, all expenses paid. after her gold medal...

An injury. now, though, mikaela shiffrin is the new star, and its no accident, no fluke. shiffrins life has been dedicated to skiing. she was the subject of a "60 minutes sports" profile on showtime last month. shes a prodigy, put on skis at the age of two by her skiing parents, trained continuously since. thats what it takes these days. the reward is an olympic gold, and this: >> when you travel the world and ski people worship the snow you ski on, dont they? ( laughter ) >> i... i suppose so. ...

Put your name and your reputation on the line for it. >> reporter: tonight, the u.s. struck gold on the mountain, 18-year-old mikaela shiffrin winning the womens slalom. >> you wish you could win every day. >> the youngest skier ever to do so. no surprise to her father, jeff. >> when you have confidence you can do it the nerves dont get to you as much. >> reporter: these games have heart. the skiers who cleaned the halfpipe offered this tribute to canadian sarah burke, who died in a training acc...

Her program, lipnitskaya crashed hard. she completed her routine, but was visibly upset, finishing fifth. minutes earlier, the steely nerved reigning olympic champion, ewe yuna kim, triump triumphed. her signature move at last years world championship -- a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination. watch again. launching off the ice. her shoulders and hips in complete alignment, the faster she goes, the higher she jumps. helicoptering over 25 feet from start to finish. yuna leads the pack today, g...

Country, and on this kind of scale it is huge. >> reporter: among those watching, the 1984 slalom gold medallist, phil mahre. on this day 30 years ago he won his gold medal. today, he saw ligety claimed second. the first alpine mens skier to do so. >> he embraces the work that it takes to be the best in the world and continues to do it. he strives to be the best. >> reporter: and more history on the bobsled track. for the first time, two u.s. women medal. jamie greubel and aja evans taking bronz...

Giant where 50 stores in the u.s. and canada. dick cabela and his brother grew it into a $3.6 billion empire. he died at his home in sydney, nebraska. he was 77 years old. and mary grace canfield has died. she was a veteran character actress that long time tv viewers will recognize from "green acres," "bewitched," "the love boat," and lets not forget she played gomer pyles blind date on "andy griffith." mary grace canfield was 89 years old. a case of premature celebration, almost cost an oly...

Finally tonight, from here in sochi, the story of one athlete who really does define the olympic spirit. and we get his story tonight from nbcs kevin tibbles. >> reporter: he marched proudly and alone, carrying his tiny nations uniquely shaped flag into the olympic stadium. and when it comes to competing, 44-year-old nepalese cross-country skier dachhiri sherpa suffers no grand illusion. >> i think i will be last, but it doesnt matter. >> reporter: because for dachhiri sherpa, the olympics are s...

>> brian, another great night for team usa here. as these winter olympics evolve, as these new sports come on to play, many of them are very exciting and very dangerous. in these olympics, its faster, higher and more extreme and not without its casualties. >> ooh! >> reporter: u.s. snowboard cross racer jacqueline hernandez crashed spectacularly and was carried off the mountain. just minutes before, a norwegian competitor was also stretchered off. today, president vladimir putin visited an athle...

>> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams, reporting tonight from the olympic winter games in sochi, russia. well, good evening. and as much as we hesitate to say it, given the relentless winter of 2014 for so many people across america, the weather here, as we get off to a dank start this monday morning, continues to make news in these winter olympic games. more on that in just a moment. on the upside from the competition, one result we can talk about, because it was news i...

Across the west, avalanche search and rescue teams are in overdrive. >> every second does count. after 15 minutes, the chances of survival really drop off. >> reporter: in colorado, helicopters take rescuers where roads dont go. >> we can get to a real remote location like were coming up to here in the ten-mile range, in a matter of minutes. >> reporter: in this avalanche drill -- >> looks like a ski right over there. >> reporter: i play the victim, buried six feet under. you think of snow as be...