Strolz emulates father by winning Olympic gold in combined
Gold medalist Johannes Strolz of Austria celebrates during the victory ceremony for the men's Alpine skiing combined competition of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games at the Yanqing National Alpine Ski Center Skiing, Beijing, Feb. 10. EPA-Yonhap
Just like his father did more than three decades ago, Austrian skier Johannes Strolz has won Olympic gold in the Alpine combined race.
Not bad for a guy who wasn't even on the national team until about a month ago.
The 29-year-old Strolz, who has only ever won one World Cup slalom, was fourth fastest after the downhill run Thursday. But he was half a second quicker than anyone else in the slalom, helping him edge first-run leader Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway by 0.58 seconds.
The combined event adds the times from one downhill run and one slalom run.
Johannes Strolz of Austria makes a jump during the downhill part of the men's combined at the 2022 Winter Olympics, in the Yanqing district of Beijing, Feb. 10. AP-Yonhap
Strolz's father, Hubert, won gold in the combined at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Hubert Strolz also won silver in the giant slalom that year and almost won another Olympic combined four years later but missed a gate near the end of the second run and was disqualified.
Johannes Strolz had a career-best finish of 10th in more than eight years of World Cup racing before winning last month in Adelboden, when he wasn't even an official member of the Austrian team after being dropped.
That victory, however, earned him a spot on the team for the Beijing Games.
``Everybody is incredibly pleased, incredibly excited. It's a great story,'' Austria slalom coach Paul Schwarzacher said. ``It's obviously not been easy years for him.
``You have to be patient in ski racing, he's showed everybody that. Hard work and patience and never give up.''
From left, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway, silver, Johannes Strolz of Austria, gold, and James Crawford of Canada, bronze, celebrate during the medal ceremony for the men's combined at the 2022 Winter Olympics, in the Yanqing district of Beijing, Feb. 10. AP-Yonhap
Jack Crawford of Canada finished third, 0.68 behind Strolz and 0.09 behind Kilde. World champion Marco Schwarz of Austria was fifth, just behind Swiss rival Justin Murisier.
The 29-year-old Kilde won his second medal of the Beijing Games. He also took bronze in the super-G, Tuesday.
``It was quite amazing. I haven't skied slalom in two years. I just had a good feeling when I was skiing. I went for it, just pointed the skis and tried to stay in balance,'' Kilde said. ``It's huge. What an Olympic Games it has been. Of course some emotions on the way, but still quite amazing.''
Kilde had been given tips by girlfriend Mikaela Shiffrin, who won gold in the slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games. Her 47 career World Cup wins in the slalom are more than anyone else has won in any single event ― although the American failed to finish both of her events so far at the Beijing Games.
``She just said to me, `Keep up the tempo and keep the skis under you.' And that's what I'm going to do,'' Kilde said after the downhill run.
One of the favorites for the race, Alexis Pinturault, had a disappointing first run and then fell in the slalom.
The Frenchman won silver in the combined at the 2021 word championships ― where he was defending his title ― and at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. He failed to finish four of six slalom races in the World Cup this season.
Another pre-race favorite, Loic Meillard of Switzerland, had an error in the downhill but managed to stay on the course. He failed to finish the second run after straddling a gate.
Thursday's race had only 27 total entrants, compared to 43 for the downhill and 47 for the super-G earlier in the week. It's the first time in Olympic history that the event is taking place without at least one American racer.
The downhill run had to be delayed for about 10 minutes when Yannick Chabloz crashed and was taken away on a sled. The Swiss skier tumbled into a barrier and then slid down part of the mountain. (AP)