Ashley Farquharson raced to Olympic glory in luge on Tuesday at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

The American luger became emotional when she checked the scoreboard and realized she earned her first Olympic medal. Her performance in the women’s luge singles on Tuesday also marked just the second time an American has won an Olympic medal in the event.

Farquharson, who started sliding as an after-school activity when she was growing up in Park City, Utah, said it was almost hard to believe what she had accomplished.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Ashley Farquharson of United States reacts after her run during women’s single luge during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on Feb. 10, 2026.  (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters via Imagn Images)

“It really didn’t feel real,” Farquharson said after her victory. “And then everyone meeting me on the ice, and the whirlwind it’s been since then has really cemented it. For a couple seconds when I was coming up the outrun, I was like, ‘that’s not real.’”

US FIGURE SKATER MAXIM NAUMOV HONORS LATE PARENTS IN EMOTIONAL OLYMPIC PERFORMANCE

Germany’s Julia Taubitz took the gold medal, winning by almost a full second, a monster margin in luge. Latvia’s Elena Bota was second, matching her country’s best Olympic result.

Until Farquharson’s feat, Erin Hamlin was the last American to earn a bronze medal, doing so at the 2014 Sochi Games.

Ashley Farquharson of Team United States starts the Women’s Singles Run 1 on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Centre on Feb. 09, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

“This was the dream,” Taubitz said. “And now the dream comes true.”

Farquharson didn’t medal in any of her first 54 World Cup races before finally breaking through this season.

She wasn’t the fastest, but she was more than good enough. She’s an Olympic medalist. Farquharson’s ability will never be questioned again.

“Super happy for Ashley, very happy for USA Luge,” longtime U.S. teammate Emily Fischnaller said. “I mean, we are the ones on the sled, but there’s a team behind us with everything that we do. So, that’s just a testament to all the work that everyone has put into it.”

Bronze medallist Ashley Farquharson of United States celebrates after women’s single luge during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre on Feb 10, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters via Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Luge is a sport in which athletes slide on their backs on sleds down an iced track at high speeds.

Fischnaller was 12th for the Americans in 3:33.035, falling from fifth after three runs following trouble in her final heat. Summer Britcher of the U.S., a two-time World Cup race winner this season and now a four-time Olympian, was 14th in 3:33.553.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Australian snowboarder Cam Bolton was airlifted to Milan after breaking his neck in a training crash.

The 35-year-old, competing at his fourth Winter Olympics, fell during a snowboard cross training session on Monday in Livigno.

He initially walked away from the crash but woke up the next day with worsening pain in his neck. Scans later revealed two fractures, and Bolton was transported by helicopter from the mountain for further treatment.

Team chef de mission, Alisa Camplin, said Bolton was in good spirits despite the severity of the injury and had been joined by his wife.

“Cam wanted to make his teammates understood what was happening and that he was fine and doing well and being looked after well,” she said.

“He knows how seriously we’re taking the process of support around him and the communication has been really good. I’m proud of the level of care.”

Bolton took silver in the mixed team snowboard cross with Mia Clift at last year’s world championships in Engadin, Switzerland.

The Australian Olympic Committee said it had enacted the Late Athlete Replacement option, bringing Olympic debutant James Johnstone onto the team alongside Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes for the men’s snowboard cross qualifying on Thursday.

open image in gallery

Advertisement

The injury is the fourth setback for Australia’s team at the Milano Cortina Games. Aerials medal favourite Laura Peel injured her knee at a pre-Olympic training camp, while young freeskier Daisy Thomas also hurt her knee in a fall and has withdrawn from slopestyle, though she remains hopeful of contesting big air.

Snowboard halfpipe rider Misaki Vaughan was ruled out of her Olympic debut after failing a head injury assessment following a training fall. Under team protocols, the 20-year-old cannot compete for at least seven days.

“Unfortunately with winter sport injuries happen along the way, in 53 athletes doing relatively high risk sports it’s not something that’s unusual I’m afraid to say,” Ms Camplin said.

“My heart breaks on their behalf – I know how much work goes into an Olympic dream.”

open image in gallery

Bolton was Australia’s highest-placed men’s snowboard cross rider at the Beijing Games, finishing 13th. He also placed ninth in the inaugural mixed team event alongside Belle Brockhoff.

There was better news on the slopes for defending Olympic champion Jakara Anthony, who topped moguls qualifying in Livigno to extend her unbeaten Games run to five rounds of competition. The 27-year-old, who claimed Australia’s first women’s moguls gold in Beijing, said she was satisfied with her opening performance.

“My goal was just that I wanted to get through in qualification one so that I just have the chance to come out for finals tomorrow and I don’t need to worry about qualification two,” Anthony said. “So, yeah, happy.”

Thomas Frank found himself under further pressure as Newcastle inflicted yet another Premier League defeat on Tottenham.

Benjamin Sesko came off the bench to spare Manchester United’s blushes at lowly West Ham with a late equaliser which left interim boss Michael Carrick purring.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has admitted how challenging his side’s title defence has become, while Bayern Munich are talking to Harry Kane over his future.

Defiant Frank

Under-fire Thomas Frank is convinced he will still be Tottenham manager for the North London derby despite the club’s relegation fears increasing after a 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle.

Spurs looked likely to be only three points above the bottom three until Manchester United’s last-gasp equaliser at 18th-placed West Ham, and the Dane was once again subjected to chants suggesting he would be “sacked in the morning”.

However asked after the final whistle if he expected to be in charge for leaders Arsenal’s visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 22, he said: “Yeah, I’m convinced I will be.”

Frank added: “Everyone knows, directors, ownership, myself, what position we are in, what we need to improve and what we need to do better. That is what we are working very hard on.”

Ben’s beauty

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick hailed super-sub Benjamin Sesko’s “unbelievable finish” after the striker’s stunning late volley snatched a draw at West Ham.

Sesko got his toe to Bryan Mbeumo’s cross six minutes into stoppage time and rifled it into the top corner to deny Carrick’s old club a vital victory in the relegation battle.

It was second time the £66.3million Slovenian, yet to start a match under Carrick, has climbed off the bench to score at the death after his 94th-minute winner against Fulham.

Carrick said: “It’s an unbelievable finish from the angle to generate that, to get it on target, to finish it – it’s some goal.”

Slot in a spot?

Arne Slot admits he is enduring by far the most challenging season of his managerial career as he attempts to secure Champions League football with Liverpool.

Sunday’s eventful 2-1 home defeat by Manchester City left the reigning Premier League champions in sixth place and prompted mounting speculation over Slot’s position less than two years after he moved from Feyenoord to succeed Jurgen Klopp.

“By a mile,” said the Dutchman when asked if it was his most difficult campaign. “Because all the other seasons I’ve managed there was only positives, I don’t think I’ve ever lost two games in a row (before).

“It is different with the season we’re having now than all the other seasons I’ve managed where we always did something special – and there’s still the possibility that we can do something special this season as well.”

Bayern in ‘intensive’ Kane talks

Bayern Munich are in “intensive talks” with England captain Harry Kane over his future amid speculation that he could make a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.

The 32-year-old, who has scored 123 goals in 129 appearances for the Bundesliga champions since his £100million switch from Tottenham during the summer of 2023, is under contract until 2027 but has been linked with a move to the Middle East should he not extend his stay at the Allianz Arena.

However, Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl told a press conference: “We are talking. That doesn’t mean negotiations have started. We are in intensive talks with Harry, then the next steps will follow.

“I can’t comment on the rumours circulating that someone is preparing anything (on a transfer bid for Kane). All I can say is that we are in close contact with Harry regarding him and our success.”

What’s on today?

Manchester City have the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to just three points when they welcome Fulham to the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool will attempt to bounce back from their home defeat by City at Sunderland, who remain unbeaten in the league at the Stadium of Light this season, while third-placed Aston Villa entertain Brighton.

Elsewhere, struggling Burnley travel to Crystal Palace and bottom-of-the-table Wolves head for Nottingham Forest.

If you’re hoping the Minnesota Vikings will rebound in 2026 and win a playoff game, ESPN has bad news for you. That outlet ranked the Vikings as the NFL’s 10th-worst team after the calendar flipped to 2026 following the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl triumph on Sunday night.

Minnesota’s ESPN placement reflects uncertainty at quarterback, while the roster’s defensive foundation and recent draft additions keep upside alive.

Why so low? Well, the general population thinks Minnesota must figure out its quarterback situation, or it will be relegated to low power rankings indefinitely.

Quarterback Uncertainty Drives the Low Vikings Rank

Not ideal to start at No. 23

ESPN Power Rankings for Vikings: No 23

ESPN sandwiched the Vikings between the Carolina Panthers at No. 22 and Atlanta Falcons at No. 24, as Kevin Seifert wrote about the club, “The Vikings already had a big task ahead of them this offseason. At the very least, they need to upgrade their quarterback depth to give them a better hedge against J.J. McCarthy’s performance and injury history than they had in 2025.”

“But after firing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Jan. 30, they’ll have to address that need with an interim leadership structure led by Rob Brzezinski, their longtime executive vice president of football operations. Adofo-Mensah’s replacement isn’t likely to be named until after the 2026 draft, putting the franchise in an extended stretch of limbo.”

Onlookers aren’t impressed by the optics of firing Adofo-Mensah, especially three and a half weeks after the end of the regular season.

Identify the Right QB(s)

The Vikings can subdue many fears — from fans and national media — if they successfully address their quarterback situation this offseason.

McCarthy battled injuries in 2025 — after missing all of 2024 with a torn meniscus — and inconsistent play, even for a first-time starter. At times, he couldn’t complete a basic pass; then he’d turn on the gas in the game’s final offensive drive and look like a Pro Bowler.

Minnesota has publicly stated its desire to trade for or sign another quarterback to provide competition this summer. If it adds a non-threat vet for McCarthy, like Jimmy Garoppolo or Carson Wentz, the power ranking will remain the same. If interim general manager Rob Brzezinski raises the bar by trading for Kyler Murray or Mac Jones, for example, the Vikings can climb in power rankings.

Make no mistake: power rankings are usually a referendum on the QB1, and Minnesota’s strategy is unclear as of February.

The Defense Is There

Thankfully, Minnesota has the defense on autopilot, courtesy of Brian Flores.

The Vikings ranked second overall in EPA per play in 2024, then No. 3 in 2025. Flores signed a mammoth contract extension last month, so there’s no reason to believe the unit will fall out of the Top 10 in 2026.

Key players will remain, like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Jalen Redmond, Blake Cashman, Byron Murphy Jr., and Isaiah Rodgers. The club will start from a position of strength at defense, which will make the eventual quarterback’s life much easier.

Other power rankings were kinder to Minnesota after the Super Bowl. Pro Football Network‘s Jacob Infante named the Vikings the league’s 17th-best team, six spots up from ESPN’s estimation.

Infante explained, “Kevin O’Connell is a great head coach. Brian Flores is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings also have a strong defensive line and some talented offensive weapons. The main thing that held them back in 2025, though, was the quarterback position.”

“Whether or not J.J. McCarthy was healthy seemingly had little impact on the Vikings’ offense. He ranked 37th in the NFL with a PFSN QB Impact Score of 64.5 in his first year as their starter. The flaws were abundant, and it led to Justin Jefferson’s worst receiving season of his career. Minnesota has talent; they just need stable QB play to maximize it.”

Finally Connect on a Full Draft Class

How can the Vikings get back in the mix of Super Bowl contention? After the quarterback decision, the path is straightforward: draft better.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah lost his job a week and a half ago, mainly due to poor drafting, as the former boss connected about about 18% of all draft picks since taking over in 2022. Failing to find productive players in the only “free” place in sports — the draft — has cost the franchise and forced it to spend big on aging free agents.

The interim general manager and future permanent executive must nail the next few drafts to restore Minnesota’s roster youth and competence.

If they do not, the Vikings will habitually live on lists like ESPN’s around No. 23.

Benjamin Sesko came off the bench to rescue a point for Man Utd as they maintained their unbeaten record under Michael Carrick.

Michael Carrick believes Benjamin Sesko is ready to go to another level after praising the impact he made in rescuing a point for Manchester United at West Ham. The 22-year-old is yet to start any of Carrick’s five games in charge but scored a decisive injury-time goal for the second time in three games, with his instinctive finish in the 96th minute securing a point after Tomas Soucek had opened the scoring.

Sesko has two goals in 61 minutes of football under Carrick and has five goals in his last six games, only two of which have been starts, and despite his lack of action he looks in a rich vein of form at the moment.

The £73million striker was unfortunate not to start at the London Stadium and Carrick admitted he could have brought him on earlier than the 69th minute, with United in need of a focal point to their attack, but when he did come on he proved to be worth the wait.

Try MEN Premium NOW for just £1

“It’s always the balance. I think the boys have done fantastically well who have played as well,” said Carrick. “That’s the importance of the whole group and importance of the squad and I’ve said it to them after every game.

“Leny’s come on and made a big difference for us tonight in big moments and then Ben scored again. Ben’s doing a lot work. He’s in a good place, he’s ready to kick on, it’s just managing the balance.

“We could have changed things a little bit earlier. That’s obviously the decision we’re always trying to make and we were actually having a bit of a spell in the game at that point where we thought we might come back into it, but when Ben came on the pitch he made a big difference.”

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings

Sesko took his goal brilliantly, producing a clever finish to make Bryan Mbeumo’s cross look better than it was and loop the ball over Hammers goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

Carrick has referenced the quality of his finishing in training and is delighted with the steps the young striker is taking in his first season at Old Trafford.

“It’s an unbelievable finish from the angle to generate that, to get it on target, to finish it,” he said. “It’s some goal from him. He’s capable of that, Ben. He’s done it over time. It’s not that he’s just suddenly burst on the scene.

“He’s been doing it, he’s proven that he can score goals as well. He’s been doing it in training for us as well. It’s not surprising, to be honest. I think that’s what he does, it’s what he’s good at. But certainly to actually do it and to feel it. He did it with the last one [against Tottenham], tonight, a little bit different with the emotion of the game, but certainly important and a big moment for him and us.”

Carrick opted to keep faith with the same team that had beaten Fulham and Tottenham, but a fluid attack failed to fire in the capital, although that flexibility was helpful in the end as he threw players on to try and make the difference.

“There’s a little bit on different games as well as situations in games and how you want to attack, where the space is or what the game looks like,” he said. “We probably didn’t quite get the balance right, if we’re honest, for the first part of the game

“Which happens, teams are allowed to stop you from scoring, but we kept going and mixed things up, and because we have got that flexibility, I think it certainly helps to find different solutions.”

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

Brazilian star Gabriela Fujimoto debuts on the global stage of ONE Championship with one clear goal in sight – gain the fifth highlight-reel finish of her career.

The 22-year-old opens her promotional account against Malaysian talent Jihin ‘Shadow Cat’ Radzuan in an atomweight tiff inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, Feb. 13.

Their three-round contest will be part of ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video.

Fujimoto’s well-rounded arsenal makes her a dangerous fighter regardless of where the fight unfolds. Ahead of fight night, she’s confident that trait of hers will propel her to a victory over the Fairtex Training Center athlete.

“I am a fighter who takes advantage of opportunities. I don’t prioritize a specific outcome, only capitalizing on what presents itself. My varied record reflects that,” she told ONE Championship.

Gabriela Fujimoto added:

“I believe this fight is wide open, but it will end before 15 minutes.”

A win for the young gun, who turns 23 on fight night, will instantly position her as a legitimate threat in the loaded women’s atomweight MMA division.

Filipina superstar Denice Zamboanga currently serves as the divisional queen, having been elevated to undisputed status after Stamp relinquished her spot atop the throne. Zamboanga captured the interim crown against Alyona Rassohyna in January 2025.

Jihin Radzuan expects an all-out war against Gabriela Fujimoto

Jihin returns to the ring in search of her first win in three outings. But ‘Shadow Cat’ knows getting her hand raised won’t be as straightforward as it seems.

The Malaysian star has done her homework on Gabriela Fujimoto and expects her to be a tough test inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

“I can assure you, both of us are going to give our best. Of course, she wants to show her best performance since this is her debut, and I want to show my best to claim myself back in the winner’s column,” the 27-year-old told ONE Championship in a separate interview.

Jihin vs. Fujimoto is one of nine exciting battles set for ONE Fight Night 40, which will be available to active North American Amazon Prime Video subscribers, live in U.S. primetime, for free.