In the fight for the coveted first Olympic medal, Vlhová lost 72 hundredths to the fastest Lena Dürrová from Germany after the initial race. The second round was built by her Swiss coach Mauro Pini and the Slovak star made the most of it. After the introductory straighter passage, she drove to a great performance and settled in the lead by 77 hundredths. The Austrian Katharina Liensberger approached her by eight hundredths, while the fifth Wendy Holdener from Switzerland lost 12 hundredths.
Giant slalom winner Sara Hectorová, who was third after the first round, started the final round. At the split time, the Swede led significantly, but did not pass the goal in the final quarter and dropped out. Vlhová and other slalom skiers, who had the podium after the first round, chased in vain. Michelle Gisin dropped to sixth place, Dürr lamented fourth in the finish. On the contrary, Vlhová cried with happiness and celebrated the first Olympic medal in alpine skiing for Slovakia.
Dubovská was bolder in the second race than in the first lap and lost a total of 2.05 seconds for Vlhová. She improved her Olympic maximum. In Sochi 2014 she took 22nd place, four years ago in Pyongyang she was 29th in slalom. The placement at the beginning of the second ten also corresponds to her results in this season of the World Championships, when she was in the top 10 only in sixth place in November in Levi.
“I was disappointed with the first lap, she was not as active as we talked to the coach that she should be. I kind of froze in the middle and it wasn’t that at all,” said Dubovská. In the second run, she became closer to her options. “I tried to make it more active, and I went for it. It’s a shame a bit of a mistake in the end. I have to work on not making mistakes and driving a little more at risk, because those girls ride unbelievably. Well, I have to do, “the native of Třinec added.
From the Czech national team, Gabriela Capová also reached the finish line of both races, taking 32nd place with a loss of 6.26 seconds to Vlhová. Elese Sommer did not finish second after 38th place in the first round.
I’ve dreamed my whole life about winning the Olympics, she said Wet
Vlhová cried with happiness and celebrated the first Olympic medal in alpine skiing for Slovakia. After the broken first round, it was difficult for her to calm down and concentrate again. “But I had a lot of strength from my team. They trusted me, believed in me and repeated to me ‘you’re strong, just ski relaxed, enjoy it and focus on your skiing, nothing else.’ I put everything into it, and in the end I Olympic winner, “she explained after the race.
She searched for words that would express her joy in Olympic gold. “It’s difficult for me to say what it means to me right now. I’ve dreamed all my life that I will win the Olympics, or just have medals. I have a lot of emotions inside me now,” she added.
Sad Shiffrin
Two-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion Shiffrin at the China Games is experiencing a sports nightmare. She did not get into the rhythm of slalom at all and does not follow the four world titles on the 2014 Olympic gold from Sochi. She won two slaloms this season of the World Cup, when she moved the winner of the remaining five races to Vlhova in second place. She paid for too bold a tactic.
“I went into it from the beginning. I slipped a bit in one curve and I just wasn’t prepared for such a mistake. I planned to take the most aggressive, difficult line. But I also knew it was the fastest. I didn’t score five goals.” she said at the finish. She coped with disappointment. “I feel terrible. But it will pass.”
