Team Canada enjoyed its most successful day so far at the Beijing Winter Olympics with a four-medal haul on Thursday.

Snowboarder Eliot Grondin and speedskater Isabelle Weidemann each collected silver medals, while alpine skier Jack Crawford and Canada害羞草研究所檚 mixed aerials team each nabbed bronze.

Canada, with 12 total medals, now sits tied with Norway for second on the Olympic medal table. Austria leads with 13.

Grondin had not been challenged all day.

The Canadian cruised through every race on his way to the men害羞草研究所檚 snowboard cross final in Zhangjiakou at the Beijing Olympics, where he fought hard for a silver medal that was a photo finish away from being gold.

Grondin of Ste-Marie, Que., crossed the finish line 0.02 seconds behind Austria害羞草研究所檚 Alessandro H盲mmerle for Canada害羞草研究所檚 second medal Thursday.

Just a few minutes earlier 害羞草研究所� and a few hundred kilometres away in the Yanqing zone 害羞草研究所� Jack Crawford held on tight for third place in the alpine combined.

The 20-year-old Grondin led every race heading into the big final. Then it was his turn to play catch-up. He stuck close to H盲mmerle from start to finish, never letting the Austrian break away.

It stayed that way until Grondin plunged to the finish line for the nail-biting finish. After a few tense moments, the Canadian害羞草研究所檚 silver medal was confirmed.

害羞草研究所淚 kind of knew I was going to be silver, but I tried everything I had,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淛ust to share the podium with Alessandro is amazing.害羞草研究所�

It was Canada害羞草研究所檚 fourth medal in snowboarding at Beijing and second in as many days after Meryeta O害羞草研究所橠ine captured bronze in the women害羞草研究所檚 snowboard cross on Wednesday.

On the slopes, Crawford finished third with a total time of two minutes 32.11 seconds for Canada害羞草研究所檚 first-ever medal in alpine combined.

The Toronto native entered the slalom portion of the event in second place after going 1:43.14 in the downhill. He then did a 48.97 in the slalom.

Johannes Strolz of Austria won gold (2:31.43) while Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway took home the silver (2:32.02).

The 24-year-old Crawford came close to a medal on two previous occasions in Beijing. He was sixth in the men害羞草研究所檚 super-G on Tuesday and fourth in the men害羞草研究所檚 downhill event on Monday, finishing seven-hundredths of a second behind the bronze medallist.

Crawford says recent changes to his skiing style and overall approach have given him more of a winner害羞草研究所檚 mindset.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e taken on this new mentality of 害羞草研究所榟ow do I put myself in a position to win every single race,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd even if you害羞草研究所檙e not winning, even if you害羞草研究所檙e not coming in the top 10, if you have that mentality and you have that ability to push and put yourself in the position where you could win, it害羞草研究所檚 probably going to be a good day regardless of where you end up.

Canada害羞草研究所檚 mixed aerials team picked up Canada害羞草研究所檚 third medal of the day 害羞草研究所� and second bronze 害羞草研究所� at the Zhangjiakou Genting Snow Park.

The United States claimed gold with 338.34 points while China settled for silver with 324.22.

The Canadian trio of Marion Thenault of Sherbrooke, Que.; Miha Fontaine of Lac-Beauport, Que.; and Quebec City害羞草研究所檚 Lewis Irving finished the final with a total of 290.98 points to edge out fourth-place Switzerland, which totalled 276.01 points.

Irving, who took the team害羞草研究所檚 third and final jump, gave credit to his teammates for even having the Canadians in a position to win a medal.

害羞草研究所淭hey did great,害羞草研究所� said Irving. 害羞草研究所淢iha, I watched him go and put it down. So it was up to me and it害羞草研究所檚 just amazing to be able to support a team like that and get it done.害羞草研究所�

Flavie Aumond and 脡mile Nadeau also competed for Canada in the qualifying rounds of the freestyle skiing event, which was making its Olympic debut at the Zhangjiakou Genting Snow Park.

It is Canada害羞草研究所檚 first aerials medal since the 2002 Salt Lake Games, when Veronica Brenner won silver and Deidra Dionne claimed bronze in the women害羞草研究所檚 event.

Meanwhile, Weidemann won silver in the women害羞草研究所檚 5,000 metres.

The 26-year-old from Ottawa collected her second medal in Beijing after a bronze in the 3,000 metres.

The Canadian posted a time of six minutes 48.18 seconds skating in the penultimate pairing.

Dutchwoman Irene Schouten then beat Weidemann害羞草研究所檚 time for gold in an Olympic-record 6:43.51.

害羞草研究所淚 really emptied the tank today. I gave all my energy. So I looked up (but) I couldn害羞草研究所檛 really see the time. I haven害羞草研究所檛 skated that deep into the hole in a while. And I was just trying to stay on my feet,害羞草研究所� Weidemann said of her effort.

On the ice, Ben Street had a goal and an assist as Canada害羞草研究所檚 Olympic men害羞草研究所檚 hockey team stormed out of the gate early before cruising to a 5-1 victory over Germany on Thursday at the Beijing Games.

Alex Grant, Daniel Winnik, Maxim Noreau and Jordan Weal also scored for Canada while goaltender Edward Pasquale made 23 saves.

Canadian skip Jennifer Jones opened the women害羞草研究所檚 curling round-robin schedule Thursday night with a 12-7 victory over South Korea害羞草研究所檚 EunJung Kim at the Ice Cube.

Jones iced the win with a steal of two in the 10th end.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 typical Team Jones fashion I think,害羞草研究所� said vice Kaitlyn Lawes. 害羞草研究所淯sually we bring it down to the wire, so what a way to start the Olympics.害羞草研究所�

On the men害羞草研究所檚 side, Canada害羞草研究所檚 Brad Gushue improved to 2-0 by downing Norway害羞草研究所檚 Steffen Walstad 6-5 in men害羞草研究所檚 round-robin play.

At the Capital Indoor Stadium, Canada害羞草研究所檚 Keegan Messing, who arrived a week late to the Games after a positive COVID-19 test, finished 11th in men害羞草研究所檚 singles figure skating amid perhaps the finest Olympic field ever assembled.

Messing害羞草研究所檚 Olympic story wasn害羞草研究所檛 what he害羞草研究所檇 hoped to write. He missed the team event entirely. And in his free program, he downgraded one of his two quadruple jumps to a triple, a costly mistake in a field full of big jumpers that he wishes he could have back.

Still, competing in Beijing at all felt like a victory.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just happy to be here. I害羞草研究所檝e got the biggest smile on my face,害羞草研究所� Messing said through his face mask. 害羞草研究所淎nd I feel full. It害羞草研究所檚 everything. This is the Olympic dream, I never thought I was going to come twice. And here I am.害羞草研究所�

Meanwhile, the drama continued off the ice in figure skating.

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva practised as usual Thursday morning despite reports the 15-year-old had tested positive for a banned heart medication.

If that leads to a disqualification for the gold medal-winning Russians in the team event, fourth-place Canada could be in line to win bronze.

Earlier, Elizabeth Hosking from Longueuil, Que., placed sixth in women害羞草研究所檚 snowboard halfpipe, improving 13 spots from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. She said getting significantly closer to the podium has just added fuel to her fire.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a big achievement going to the Olympics, but I guess I害羞草研究所檓 just a person that is never settled,害羞草研究所� said Hosking.

害羞草研究所淵ou know, that害羞草研究所檚 what fires me. I just want better for myself and better for my competitive career.害羞草研究所�

American Chloe Kim successfully defended her Olympic title, throwing down a 94.00 in her first run to win gold. Spain害羞草研究所檚 Queralt Castellet (90.25) took home the silver and Japan害羞草研究所檚 Tomita Sena (88.25) finished with bronze.

害羞草研究所擳he Canadian Press