Four-time Olympic medalist Bode Miller finally earned a gold to complete his collection of jewelry from the Vancouver Games. After finishing seventh in the downhill run of the two-leg super-combi, Miller went all out in the slalom and bettered main rival Ivica Kostelic of Croatia with a winning time of 2 minutes, 44.92 seconds.
Miller had been the most hyped athlete of the 2006 Turin Games, but left Italy empty-handed. Now, with expectations much lower, the 32-year-old American won a gold medal to add to the silver and bronze he has already claimed in the first two races in Whistler.
Andre Lange of Germany became the first driver with four Olympic gold medals after winning the two-man bobsled event. He and longtime brakeman Kevin Kuske completed their four runs in 3:26.65.
Lange, the defending Olympic champion in two-man and four-man, surpassed Meinhard Nehmer of Germany for the most bobsled golds. Lange also won the four-man event at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
In biathlon, World Cup leader Evgeny Ustyugov of Russia won the men’s 15km mass start race. Ustyugov shot cleanly and finished in 35:35.7. Also, Magdalena Neuner of Germany won the women’s 12.5km mass start for her second gold medal of the Vancouver Games.
“I knew I could win a medal, but now I have three,” said Neuner, who also won the 10km pursuit on Tuesday and took silver in the 7.5km sprint in her first Olympics.
Ireen Wust of the Netherlands turned her bronze from Turin to gold in Vancouver by winning the women’s 1,500m speedskating race, and Michael Schmid of Switzerland won the inaugural Olympic men’s skicross event.
Miller also won two silver medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, and his fifth Olympic medal overall added to his status as the most decorated American Alpine skier in history.
Kostelic took silver behind Miller and Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland claimed bronze. Aksel Lund Svindal, who won gold in the super-G and silver in the downhill, led the super-combi after the opening leg, but he skied out of the slalom leg.
The mother of Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette died on Sunday, two days before Rochette is to begin competition. She still plans to compete, and practiced only a few hours after hearing the news.
In curling, Canada’s women’s team beat the US 9-2 to stay unbeaten and Britain skip Eve Muirhead pounded a stone in frustration after giving up a four-spot to Switzerland in a 10-6 shortened nine-end loss.
It was Britain’s third straight loss following a promising Olympic start.
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