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Swiss steals Alpine thunder
Source: Agencies |
February 17, 2010, Wednesday
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SWISS Didier Defago dashed out of the shadows of more fancied rivals to win the showcase men's downhill at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver on Monday while Canada failed to build any momentum from Sunday's first gold on home soil.
Defago, a 32-year-old veteran of the World Cup scene who had never come close to an Olympic podium before, scorched down the Dave Murray course in Whistler to become the first Swiss to land the men's blue riband event since Pirmin Zurbriggen in 1988.
"This morning I knew that the course would suit me well," said Defago, who eclipsed favored teammates Didier Cuche and Carlo Janka. "I have been looking for a podium for a long time."
The event, for many the showcase of an Olympic Games, was also a tale of redemption for a more famous 32-year-old racer from the US, Bode Miller.
Miller, the wild child of American skiing, took the bronze medal, finishing close behind Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.
South Korea's Mo Tae-bum celebrated his 21st birthday by winning the men's 500-meter speedskating in a contest interrupted for more than an hour after problems with the battery powered machine that resurfaces the ice.
Mo posted the second-best time of the opening race, then blazed around the track in 34.90 seconds in the second heat to snatch the gold with a total time of 1:09.82.
For host nation Canada, a poor showing in the downhill, a last-gasp loss to the Americans in snowboard cross, and an out-of-the medals performance from speedskating hopeful Jeremy Wotherspoon brought locals back to earth after their first home-turf Olympic gold on Sunday.
Canada hosted the Games in Montreal in 1976 and Calgary in 1988, but won no golds at either, so Alex Bilodeau's moguls victory on Sunday was especially sweet.
Things were back to normal on Monday.
Vancouver skier Manuel Osborne-Paradis, a downhill favorite, lost precious ground on the lower part of the Whistler course and ended back in the pack.
Hours later US boarder Seth Wescott soared past Canada's Mike Robertson at the end of the hot-dog four-man race to nab the gold.
It was the second gold for the United States, but Switzerland leads the medals table with three golds after Monday's victories in the men's downhill and the 15-kilometer cross country where Dario Cologna triumphed.
"It was an incredible race for me," said Cologna, who won in 33:36.3.
Charlotte Kalla of Sweden led from start to finish to win the women's 10km freestyle cross-country race. Kalla won in 24:58.4 for her first Olympic gold medal.
Defago, a 32-year-old veteran of the World Cup scene who had never come close to an Olympic podium before, scorched down the Dave Murray course in Whistler to become the first Swiss to land the men's blue riband event since Pirmin Zurbriggen in 1988.
"This morning I knew that the course would suit me well," said Defago, who eclipsed favored teammates Didier Cuche and Carlo Janka. "I have been looking for a podium for a long time."
The event, for many the showcase of an Olympic Games, was also a tale of redemption for a more famous 32-year-old racer from the US, Bode Miller.
Miller, the wild child of American skiing, took the bronze medal, finishing close behind Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.
South Korea's Mo Tae-bum celebrated his 21st birthday by winning the men's 500-meter speedskating in a contest interrupted for more than an hour after problems with the battery powered machine that resurfaces the ice.
Mo posted the second-best time of the opening race, then blazed around the track in 34.90 seconds in the second heat to snatch the gold with a total time of 1:09.82.
For host nation Canada, a poor showing in the downhill, a last-gasp loss to the Americans in snowboard cross, and an out-of-the medals performance from speedskating hopeful Jeremy Wotherspoon brought locals back to earth after their first home-turf Olympic gold on Sunday.
Canada hosted the Games in Montreal in 1976 and Calgary in 1988, but won no golds at either, so Alex Bilodeau's moguls victory on Sunday was especially sweet.
Things were back to normal on Monday.
Vancouver skier Manuel Osborne-Paradis, a downhill favorite, lost precious ground on the lower part of the Whistler course and ended back in the pack.
Hours later US boarder Seth Wescott soared past Canada's Mike Robertson at the end of the hot-dog four-man race to nab the gold.
It was the second gold for the United States, but Switzerland leads the medals table with three golds after Monday's victories in the men's downhill and the 15-kilometer cross country where Dario Cologna triumphed.
"It was an incredible race for me," said Cologna, who won in 33:36.3.
Charlotte Kalla of Sweden led from start to finish to win the women's 10km freestyle cross-country race. Kalla won in 24:58.4 for her first Olympic gold medal.
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