Italy bask in golden glow
Armin Zoeggeler claimed Italy’s first gold medal of the Winter Olympics yesterday when he won his second successive men’s luge title. Zoeggeler, who led from the first run on Saturday, raced to a final time of 51.526sec and a four-run total of 3:26.088, narrowly beating Albert Demtschenko, of Russia, by just 0.11 sec.
Martins Rubenis took Latvia’s first medal of the Games by finishing third. Rubenis broke American hearts when he held off Tony Benshoof, who was third overnight and attempting to take the first American luge medal, in fourth.
Norwegian upset
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Lars Bystoel of Norway staged an upset in Olympic ski jumping when he won the gold medal in the normal hill individual event.
The 27-year-old’s final round jump of 103.5 metres was enough to put him ahead of Finland’s Matti Hautamaeki and Roar Ljoekelsoey.
Estil fightback
In the men’s cross-country skiing 30-km pursuit Frode Estil, of Norway, had to settle for silver but stole the limelight from winner Eugeni Dementiev after an extraordinary fightback. A fall at the start saw him fightback from 77th. “It feels like it’s gold not silver,” said Estil.
Flying Tomato
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America’s Shaun White, nicknamed the Flying Tomato because of his distinctive red hair, won the gold medal in the men’s snowboard half-pipe. His compatriot Daniel Kass won silver, for the second successive Games, with Markku Koski, of Finland, taking the bronze.
Dutch stunner
Ireen Wust of the Netherlands stunned the Germans and Canadians by winning gold in the 3,000-metre speedskating.
Her time of 4 mins, 2.43secs was enough to beat her team-mate Renate Groenewold and the Canadian world record holder Cindy Klassen, who got bronze.
‘Grandma Luge’
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“Grandma Luge” Anne Abernathy is in doubt for the Winter Olympics after a heavy crash in training.
Abernathy hurt her right hand and broke the right runner of her sledge in the crash. At 52 she will be the first woman in her fifties to participate at a Winter Games.