Maria Hoefl-Riesch finishes the Women's Alpine Skiing Super Combined Downhill at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 10, 2014 PHOTO: AFP
The German, who also won the world title last year, posted a total time of 2 minutes 34.62 seconds after one downhill and one slalom run.
She finished ahead of Austria’s Nicole Hosp at 0.40 seconds and US favourite Julia Mancuso, who finished third at 0.53 seconds despite leading after the downhill.
Hoefl-Riesch was fifth after the morning’s run, but put in a smooth performance in the slalom to take her third Olympic gold medal after combined and slalom wins in Vancouver in 2010.
“I can’t quite believe it,” she said. “This is really overwhelming. My confidence was a bit knocked before I went down, especially because the downhill didn’t go great this morning.
“I don’t think so much about statistics and rankings. But when I win a medal like today [Monday] I’m just focused on this medal and this day. My motivation is to do my best every single day and make the best out of my possibilities.”
Hamelin wins third short track gold
Canada’s Charles Hamelin claimed his third Olympic gold medal when he won the men’s 1500m short track speed skating title on Monday.
Hamelin timed 2:14.985 to snatch the gold ahead of Han Tianyu of China, who took silver in 2:15.055. Victor Ahn gave hosts Russia their first ever Olympic short track medal with bronze in 2:15.062.
It was a fifth Olympic medal for Ahn, formerly known as Ahn Hyun-Soo, who won gold in the 1000m, 1500m and 5000m relay for South Korea in 2006, before switching nationalities after failing to qualify for Vancouver.
No mourning symbols, IOC tells athletes
International Olympic Committee (IOC) chiefs on Monday warned athletes against wearing symbols of mourning for lost loved ones during competitions at the Sochi 2014 Games.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the IOC understood the motivations behind the athletes’ gestures and was prepared to help organise commemorative events. But he said it was not appropriate to display such symbols during competition.
“We would say that the competitions themselves are not the right place to do this,” he said.
“But we want to help hold any kind of remembrance. It is not about the rule; it is a question of what is appropriate.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2014.
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