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While the Swiss boardercross duo received a diploma at the Olympic premiere of the mixed team competition, Lindsey Jacobellis secured her second gold medal.
The Swiss duo Kalle Koblet and Sophie Hediger can look forward to an Olympic diploma thanks to their 7th place in the mixed boardercross competition, which was held for the first time at the Olympic Games. The two snowboarders needed a bit of competition luck in the unusual flurry of snow in the Genting Snowpark.
Koblet had finished fourth in his run – the men each presented in the mixed competition – a deficit of 0.58 seconds. The starting gate of his team partner Hediger therefore opened with a delay in the subsequent women’s run. So the 23-year-old from Zurich had to catch up.
Hediger first lucky, then unlucky
Hediger had luck on her side. First, Josie Baff/AUS, lying in front of her, fell, later Belle Brockhoff, the second Australian representative, also fell. The reigning world champion in the mixed team competition later had to be transported away with the rescue sled.
Hediger, on the other hand, crossed the finish line behind the undisputed American Lindsey Jacobellis, Olympic champion in singles, due to the mishaps of her competitors in second place and thus bought the semi-final ticket. But that was the end of the luck.
In the semi-final that followed, Hediger would have had to catch up. Koblet had previously traded 1.11 seconds behind. But the woman from Zurich lost her balance shortly after the start and fell. The duo had to make do with the small final, where they secured 7th place.
Jacobellis also strikes in mixed
In the grand final, the two American veterans Nick Baumgartner and Jacobellis prevailed. While the 40-year-old won his first ever Olympic medal, it was Jacobellis’ second at this year’s Winter Games after winning individual gold. 16 years ago she carelessly awarded gold in the individual boardercross premiere. Now she struck at the Olympic premiere of the mixed team competition.