Team USA Breaks Record for Most U.S. Olympic Winter Medals Won In Single Day

2010 Americans also become first U.S team to win two medals in three different events in the same day

VANCOUVER, BC, Canada - Team USA set an all-time American record for most Olympic Winter Games medals won in a single day by capturing six - three gold, one silver, two bronze - on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.

Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) and Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, Calif.) began the day by winning gold and silver, respectively, in women's downhill alpine skiing. Shani Davis (Chicago, Ill.) and Chad Hedrick (Spring, Texas) raced to gold and bronze in men's 1000m speedskating, and Shaun White (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Scotty Lago (Seabrook, N.H.) took gold and bronze to close out the day's competition in men's halfpipe.

"I've been around 15 Olympic Games as an athlete, a member of a sports federation, a board member for the USOC and this time as a Chef de Mission of the 2010 Team, and in my experience this is the best day for the United States team in Olympic Winter Games history," said Mike Plant , Chef de Mission of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team. "The great anticipation of Lindsey Vonn in the downhill, and the repeat gold medals of Shani Davis and Shaun White were what people wanted to see. They stepped up on this incredible stage and delivered. We need to applaud our National Governing Bodies who have groomed these athletes to be able to compete in this incredible spotlight. This will be a memory for all time"

The record-breaking day for the U.S. also marked the first time an American team has won two medals in three separate events in a single day's competition.

The previous American single-day record (five) occurred Feb. 20, 2002, in Salt Lake City, when Jim Shea, Jr. and Apolo Anton Ohno captured gold in skeleton and 1500m speedskating, respectively, Tristan Gale and Lea Ann Parsley finished one-two in women's skeleton and Jennifer Rodriguez placed third in women's 1500m speedskating.

The U.S. won four medals the following day in Salt Lake City and has captured three in a single day 15 times in Olympic Winter Games history.

The achievement of six medals won by one country in a single day of Olympic Winter Games competition occurred eight times previously. The former German Democratic Republic (GDR) holds the overall record for most Olympic Winter Games medals in a single day with eight on Feb. 7 at the 1976 Games in Innsbruck.

MOST U.S. WINTER OLYMPIC MEDALS WON IN A SINGLE DAY

Six Medals: February 17, 2010
Women's Downhill Alpine Skiing - (Gold) - Lindsey Vonn
Men's Speedskating 1000m - (Gold) - Shani Davis
Men's Halfpipe Snowboarding - (Gold) - Shaun White
Women's  Downhill Alpine Skiing - (Silver) - Julia Mancuso
Men's Speedskating 1000m - (Bronze) - Chad Hedrick
Men's Halfpipe Snowboarding - (Bronze) - Scotty Lago

Five Medals: February 20, 2002
Men's Skeleton - (Gold) - Jim Shea, Jr.
Men's 1500m Short Track Speedskating - (Gold) - Apolo Anton Ohno
Women's Skeleton - (Gold) - Tristan Gale
Women's Skeleton - (Silver) - Lea Ann Parsley
Women's Speedskating 1500m - (Bronze) - Jennifer Rodriguez

Four Medals: February 21, 2002 - Four Medals
Women's Figure Skating Singles - (Gold) - Sarah Hughes
Women's Ice Hockey - (Silver)
Men's Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom - (Silver) - Bode Miller 
Ladies' Figure Skating - (Bronze) - Michelle Kwan

* Three Medals (15 times)

Tags: Chad Hedrick, Julia Mancuso, Lindsey Vonn, Scotty Lago, Shani Davis, Shaun White, Team USA, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games