Shiffrin Golden As Tearful Germans Smash Record
Zeeshan Mehtab Published February 15, 2018 | 03:41 PM
Skier Mikaela Shiffrin opened her Olympics with a title and figure skaters Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot smashed their own world record to grab gold as full Olympic competition resumed on Thursday after days of wind disruption
Pyeongchang, South Korea, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Feb, 2018 ) :Skier Mikaela Shiffrin opened her Olympics with a title and figure skaters Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot smashed their own world record to grab gold as full Olympic competition resumed on Thursday after days of wind disruption.
The 22-year-old Shiffrin kicked off her bid for multiple titles in Pyeongchang with a storming second run in the giant slalom, ending a nervous wait after it was postponed because of high winds on Monday.
The Sochi 2014 slalom champion from America was overcome after her powerful descent brought her gold from Norway's Ragnhild Mowinckel by 0.39 seconds. "I don't know how to explain it. It's crazy.
There's so much emotion," Shiffrin said. "To come to the Olympics after some tough races on the World Cup circuit and to charge like that -- I risked it on the second run -- it's super-cool." Earlier, Aksel Lund Svindal, 35, became the Olympics' oldest alpine ski champion in the men's downhill, with Kjetil Jansrud completing a Norwegian one-two.
"Attacking Viking" Svindal, coming to the end of a stellar career, clocked 1min 40.25sec down the 3km-long Jeongseon course to hand Norway its first Olympic downhill gold. "It feels pretty good, I'm extremely happy," said Svindal.
"World Cup wins, I've been there a few times and know how that feels, but this is different. "It's one of those things where you keep looking up the hill because I want to make sure it's real, like no one comes and skis faster." The Germans Savchenko and Massot were in floods of tears after they won the pairs figure skating by a whisker ahead of China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who missed out after Sui took a tumble.
After an error in the short programme, hopes had faded for Savchenko and Massot but they scored 159.09 points in the free dance, breaking their own world record, to pull off a fairytale victory.
- 'Writing history' - To roars from the crowd, French-born Massot then lifted Ukrainian-born Savchenko onto the top step of the podium. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada took bronze.
"I was positive after yesterday. I said to Bruno, we will write history today. And then everything happened as I had imagined it and it came true," Savchenko said. North Korean duo Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik, supported strongly by their country's all-female cheering squad and the home South Korean crowd, scored a personal best total of 193.63.
"I was very nervous about the competition, but once we went in, the sight of our cheer squad and the southern countrymen cheering together offered great support and stimulation," said Kim. Frenchman Pierre Vaultier retained his snowboard cross title.
Later on a busy day six featuring nine gold medals, French army officer Martin Fourcade will go for his second biathlon gold in Pyeongchang. Sven Kramer, bidding for his fifth Olympic title, will attempt to make it six speed skating golds out of six for the Netherlands in the men's 10,000m.
The winds dropped markedly on Thursday, after skiing and biathlon were both postponed on Wednesday and organisers were forced to close off the Gangneung Olympic Park for safety reasons. Sixteen people were hurt at the Olympic Park precinct, which houses four ice sports venues, as tents, signs, fences and other equipment were damaged by the wind.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Delegation of international investors meets Finance Minister
Federal Govt stands with Balochistan for its development: Naqvi
UAE President receives condolences of Prime Minister of Pakistan over passing of ..
ECC approves to enhance wheat procurement targets
UN urges Israel to 'stop escalation' as tanks enter Gaza's Rafah city
EU stumps up $125 mn for Yemen after aid groups' plea
Governor Tessori condemns May 9 riots, calls it a 'pre-planned conspiracy'
PM condoles with UAE President over Sheikh Tahnoun’s death
Milan nets Giro 4th stage, Pogacar retains lead
UBS back in profit after Credit Suisse takeover losses
Asiya Gul lauds Shafaat's services as DG LG
President for dialogue with all political forces in Balochistan
More Stories From Sports
-
Milan nets Giro 4th stage, Pogacar retains lead
3 hours ago -
HEC, Army move National Challenge Cup semis
5 hours ago -
Jonathan Milan wins Giro 4th stage, Pogacar retains lead
5 hours ago -
WAPDA taste first final defeat in tennis in 42 years after falling to PAF
5 hours ago -
Bangladesh seal T20 series with nine-run win over Zimbabwe
6 hours ago -
Babar Azam eyes multiple records during Ireland, England tours
8 hours ago
-
Flat-out: Hirscher boosts skiing in mountainless Netherlands
7 hours ago -
Pakistan, Japan match ends in a draw
7 hours ago -
Cricket: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe second T20 scores
7 hours ago -
Olympic flame to arrive in France ahead of Paris Olympics
7 hours ago -
Is time up for Ten Hag after Man Utd implosion?
10 hours ago -
Match officials named for FIFA Qualifier
10 hours ago