Croatia's Janica Kostelic hurtled into history Friday, taking giant slalom gold to become the first Alpine skier to win four Olympic medals at a single Games. The 20-year-old was the first woman to win three Alpine golds at one Games and joined France's Jean-Claude Killy (1968) and Austrian Toni Sailer (1956) as the only skiers ever to do it.
Her margin of victory was enormous for a woman who had never before been on a giant slalom podium -- 1.32 seconds ahead of Sweden's Anja Paerson and 1.66 clear of Swiss world champion and bronze medallist Sonja Nef.
Her success was all the more extraordinary considering that she comes from a country that had never before won an Olympic medal but that has now won more golds than skiing powerhouse Austria at these Games. "She's proved that mentally she's the strongest ever," said Paerson of her friend and rival. "She's incredible. She can really ski with the pressure on and right now she's the one we have to beat.
"I'm so happy for her because she had a rough season with her injuries...I can only congratulate her."
Kostelic, the 2001 World Cup overall champion, has lingering pain in her legs after repeated surgery on her knee last year but has now won a medal in every race she has entered at Salt Lake City.
Bureau Report