OLYMPICS: Maze Takes Gold in Downhill
Sochi, 12 February - Slovenian skier Tina Maze won gold in Wednesday's Olympic downhill in Sochi, sharing first place with Dominique Gisin of Switzerland. Bronze went to another Swiss skier, Lara Gut. This is the first ever Winter Olympic gold for Slovenia.
Sochi
Tina Maze wins downhill gold.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA
The success for Maze, who won two silvers at the Vancouver Olympics four years ago, comes after a frustrating fourth place in Monday's super-combined event and a lacklustre season for Maze's standards, since she won last year's overall World Cup with ease.
"After all I went through this year, this is something unbelievable. I remembered the first ever race in my career before this downhill...I thought about it the whole night. I won that time and I told myself that I can also do it today," Maze said.
The 30-year-old all-rounder also has medal hopes in the super G and giant slalom races, which are scheduled for Saturday and next Tuesday, respectively.
First congratulations have showered in via Twitter, with Sport Minister Jernej Pikalo extending his "heartfelt congratulations" to Tina, saying her achievement was a historical dream come true.
This is already the fourth medal for Slovenia in Sochi and the fifteenth in Winter Olympics, but the first Winter Olympic gold.