In two days, the Russian women’s hockey team went straight into the game after their quarantine , to strike gold !
The Russians were isolated in the Olympic Village from Monday to Wednesday and were unable to train due to one of the largest coronavirus outbreaks at the Beijing Games to date. It wasn’t the best preparation for their first group game against Switzerland, but they still won 5-2.
“We came to the Olympics and had to sit in our rooms without being able to practise,” Russian forward Alexandra Vafina, who had two assists, said. “It was difficult, but we banded together, stayed positive, and took advantage of this small window of opportunity,” the team said in a statement.
The United States and Canada also lost significant players due to injury, but the Russians have been hit the worst, with six of their original 23-player lineup, including captain Olga Sosina, now unavailable due to viral infections. Vafina said that the team used a group chat to send humorous, supportive messages to keep spirits up and make the substitute players feel welcome.
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