Sochi 2014: Emotions and memorable performances
The Sochi Winter Olympics has produced its share of memorable performances on the snow and ice - some expected, some not. However, several athletes have been forced to deal with bitter disappointment, and even injury.
Suspense
120 "Flower girls" take part in the medals ceremonies. In between they watch the competitions - and hold their breath when athletes fly through the air.
Exuberance
Three Americans won the medals in the first ever Olympic Slopestyle event on Thursday. It was so warm and sunny that US athlete Bobby Brown (who came in ninth) ony wore a T-shirt. "I am shocked. I am stoked to be up here with my friends. America, we did it," was gold medal winner Joss Christenssen's first reaction.
Exhaustion
Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk dominated her favorite event on Thursday, winning the women's cross-country 10-kilometer classical race despite skiing with a fractured foot.
Triumph
After losing to the Chinese in the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Russians have reclaimed the throne. Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov were cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd during the pairs figure skating event at the Iceberg Skating Palace Wednesday night.
Despair
Hopes for gold were dashed for Germany when Robin Sozlkovy fell on his bum during the figure skating program - the first of several falls, despite which the pair still managed to win bronze. Aliona Savchenko has threatened to look for a new partner.
A different kind of dance
The German women's ice hockey team won their first match at the Olympics when they beat Japan 4-0 on Wednesday. Even if they don't take home gold, at least they made it to Sochi, unlike the German men's team which failed to qualify.
Pain
While Canadian Dara Howell captured gold in the women's freestyle skiing slopestyle, things did not go so well for her teammate, Yuki Tsuboda, who suffered a nasty fall on her second run and had to be carried off the mountain on a stretcher.
Gratitude
Slovenia's Tina Maze kissed the snow after winning the women's alpine skiing downhill event. On a warm day - with temperatures at 17 degrees celsius (63F) she and her friend Dominique Gisin of Switzerland were declared co-gold medalists, which marked the first ever tie in Olympic Alpine history.
Envy?
When German Natalie Geisenberger won luge gold, her teammate and silver medalist Tatjana Hüfner surprised reporters by complaining that she felt that she'd been disadvantaged by the German luge federation. Since then there has been discussion of a possible rift between East and West German training teams.
Pure joy
German fans had to wait until the second official day of competition to be able to cheer. Luger Felix Loch didn't disappoint, defending the Olympic gold medal he won in Vancouver. Since then more gold medals have followed, putting Germany at the top of the table on Wednesday.