American star Mikaela Shiffrin wins Olympic giant slalom gold
Friday 16 February 2018 10:09, UK
American Mikaela Shiffrin got off to a dream start in her quest to win multiple gold medals at the Winter Olympics by storming to victory in the giant slalom on Thursday in Pyeongchang.
The 22-year-old, who won slalom gold in Sochi four years ago, produced an explosive second run to beat Norway's Ragnhild Mowinckel to the title by 0.39 seconds as Italian Federica Brignone took bronze.
Shiffrin sank to her knees and sobbed tears of joy before hugging her coaches as Italy's Manuela Moelgg, running last of the title contenders, failed to reproduce the form that saw her pip the favourite in the morning.
"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."
Shiffrin, who has racked up 41 World Cup wins, was supposed to have completed her best two disciplines - the slalom and giant slalom - earlier this week.
But gusting winds that forced the postponements of the alpine skiing and the resulting delays could yet complicate her quest to win medals in potentially five events.
Germany's Viktoria Rebensburg, who captured gold in Vancouver and bronze in Sochi, just missed out on a medal as she produced a quick 1:09.15 that pushed her to fourth after being only eighth fastest in the morning.
