Croatia’s skier Janica Kostelic becomes a legend – Best of all times! :thumbs:
Need I say how proud I am that from a country of little more then 4 million we have such a great hero that is writing a legend that is not done yet. :love:
Today Janica won the women's combined event and became the first woman to win four Olympic gold medals in Alpine skiing (since 1924, the start of the winter Olympic skiing competition only she has won 3 golds in Salt lake City and 1 now in Torino, well one for now
)
SESTRIERE, Italy (AP) -- It's almost as if Janica Kostelic expects her tremendous success.
On Saturday, the Croatian won the women's combined event and became the first woman to win four Olympic gold medals in Alpine skiing. And she did it despite being sick enough that she thought she might not be able to race.
Her response: No big deal.
"The gold medal is there to win," she said. "It's the normal thing for me."
Not so for her rival, Anja Paerson .
The Swede has been winning just as much as Kostelic recently on the World Cup circuit -- she's the two-time defending overall champion -- but come the Olympics, her color is bronze, not gold.
Paerson was ecstatic after finishing third in Wednesday's downhill, a relatively new discipline for the former slalom specialist. Gold was her only goal for the combined race, though, and finishing third again was tough to take.
"It's like winning and coming last -- that's the difference," Paerson said, comparing her two medals at these games.
Paerson also won a silver and a bronze at the Salt Lake City Games four years ago, while Kostelic took home three golds and a silver.
"I wanted to come here to be an Olympic champion, and today I felt like I lost one of those opportunities," Paerson said.
Kostelic, meanwhile, passed Vreni Schneider, Katja Seizinger and Deborah Compagnoni in the Olympic gold medal standings.
"It's always nice to know that," Kostelic said, "but records are meant to be beaten, so someone else will win five."
She sat out the downhill with a high pulse and said she was "shaking" at the start Saturday.
"I'm not in good physical condition, but I always ski well when I'm sick," Kostelic said, adding that she was "99 percent" sure she would sit out Sunday's super-G.
She later told Reuters television that she was definitely out.
Kostelic has dealt with medical problems her entire career. She's had several knee operations, had her thyroid removed and missed the entire 2003-04 season.
"Janica is always sick. Every three months, she has a crisis," said her father and coach, Ante Kostelic.
Ante is a proud father these days, and not just for Janica.
Ivica Kostelic won a silver in the men's combined on Tuesday for his first Olympic medal. It's the first time since 1980 in Lake Placid (Andreas and Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein) that a brother and sister have won medals at the same Winter Olympics.
Janica said she was happier for her brother's medal than her own.
"I know how much it means to him," she said. "I already have medals."
Kostelic finished in 2 minutes, 51.08 seconds and has won her last seven combined races.
The combined is the ultimate test for an all-around skier because it adds the times from one high-speed downhill run to two turn-heavy slalom legs - two disciplines that require completely different techniques.
I am so proud & happy for her! :love: :sign:
Need I say how proud I am that from a country of little more then 4 million we have such a great hero that is writing a legend that is not done yet. :love:
Today Janica won the women's combined event and became the first woman to win four Olympic gold medals in Alpine skiing (since 1924, the start of the winter Olympic skiing competition only she has won 3 golds in Salt lake City and 1 now in Torino, well one for now
) SESTRIERE, Italy (AP) -- It's almost as if Janica Kostelic expects her tremendous success.
On Saturday, the Croatian won the women's combined event and became the first woman to win four Olympic gold medals in Alpine skiing. And she did it despite being sick enough that she thought she might not be able to race.
Her response: No big deal.
"The gold medal is there to win," she said. "It's the normal thing for me."
Not so for her rival, Anja Paerson .
The Swede has been winning just as much as Kostelic recently on the World Cup circuit -- she's the two-time defending overall champion -- but come the Olympics, her color is bronze, not gold.
Paerson was ecstatic after finishing third in Wednesday's downhill, a relatively new discipline for the former slalom specialist. Gold was her only goal for the combined race, though, and finishing third again was tough to take.
"It's like winning and coming last -- that's the difference," Paerson said, comparing her two medals at these games.
Paerson also won a silver and a bronze at the Salt Lake City Games four years ago, while Kostelic took home three golds and a silver.
"I wanted to come here to be an Olympic champion, and today I felt like I lost one of those opportunities," Paerson said.
Kostelic, meanwhile, passed Vreni Schneider, Katja Seizinger and Deborah Compagnoni in the Olympic gold medal standings.
"It's always nice to know that," Kostelic said, "but records are meant to be beaten, so someone else will win five."
She sat out the downhill with a high pulse and said she was "shaking" at the start Saturday.
"I'm not in good physical condition, but I always ski well when I'm sick," Kostelic said, adding that she was "99 percent" sure she would sit out Sunday's super-G.
She later told Reuters television that she was definitely out.
Kostelic has dealt with medical problems her entire career. She's had several knee operations, had her thyroid removed and missed the entire 2003-04 season.
"Janica is always sick. Every three months, she has a crisis," said her father and coach, Ante Kostelic.
Ante is a proud father these days, and not just for Janica.
Ivica Kostelic won a silver in the men's combined on Tuesday for his first Olympic medal. It's the first time since 1980 in Lake Placid (Andreas and Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein) that a brother and sister have won medals at the same Winter Olympics.
Janica said she was happier for her brother's medal than her own.
"I know how much it means to him," she said. "I already have medals."
Kostelic finished in 2 minutes, 51.08 seconds and has won her last seven combined races.
The combined is the ultimate test for an all-around skier because it adds the times from one high-speed downhill run to two turn-heavy slalom legs - two disciplines that require completely different techniques.
I am so proud & happy for her! :love: :sign:
