Urša Bogataj wins gold medal, Nika Križnar bronze at Winter Olympics
Beijing, 5 February - Slovenian ski jumpers Urša Bogataj and Nika Križnar made history at the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou on Saturday, as Bogataj has won the gold and Križnar won the bronze medal. It is the first time that more than one Slovenian athlete has made the Olympic podium in the same event.
Beijing, China
Slovenia's ski jumpers at the Winter Olympics
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
Beijing, China
Slovenia's ski jumpers - Olympic champion Urša Bogataj and bronze medallist Nika Križnar
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
Beijing, China
Slovenia's ski jumping Olympic champion Urša Bogataj
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
Ljubno ob Savinji
Slovenian ski jumper and new Olympic champion, Urša Bogataj
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
File photo
The other ski jumpers representing Slovenia were Ema Klinec, who finished fifth, and Špela Rogelj, who ended the final series in ninth place, which means all Slovenian ski jumpers finished the competition inside the top ten.
After finishing the first series as the leader, Germany's Katharina Althaus (236.8 points) won the silver medal, ranking between Križnar (232 points) and Bogataj (239 points), who set the new hill record with 108 metres in the first round.
"I haven't realised it yet, I don't know how this is possible. I am very happy," said 26-year-old Urša Bogataj in her first statement after winning the gold.
When asked what has changed since Friday, she said it was perhaps the first jump today. "I broke the hill record and I really enjoyed it, so I said to myself, I will just do it, and I don't care what happens," said the new Olympic champion.
Meanwhile, current world champion Ema Klinec (215.4) was fourth after the first series, but switched places with Japan's Sara Takanashi (224.1) in the end to finish fifth.
Špela Rogelj (184.2) was eighth after the first series, and although she did not manage to improve on her result in the final, she did not lose much, finishing ninth in the end.
This was the only individual competition for female ski jumpers at this Winter Olympics, with the mixed team event to follow on Monday.