Vonn straddles gate, Shiffrin takes silver in women’s Alpine combined
By Zach Bigalke
Lindsey Vonn straddled a gate and failed to finish her final Olympic run, but Mikaela Shiffrin claimed silver as Swiss skiers claimed gold and bronze.
On the final Olympic run of a storied career, Lindsey Vonn straddled a gate on the slalom run of the women’s Alpine combined. Vonn was automatically out as a result, despite blazing through the downhill course as the fastest skier. It was an unfortunate way for Vonn to go out.
After missing out on the Sochi Winter Olympics, the American veteran nevertheless rebounded well to make it to another Winter Olympics. She leaves her final Olympic showing with one medal from the downhill. Vonn couldn’t flesh out what feels like an incomplete resume after her knee injury took out her prime Olympic opportunity.
Even had she put up the time in the downhill that she put up on the first run of Alpine combined, Vonn still would have walked away with bronze. Sofia Goggia opted out of a chance for a second gold and sat out the Alpine combined, but it might not have mattered even had she entered the race.
MEDAL RESULT | Women's Alpine combined
Michelle Gisin
Mikaela Shiffrin
Wendy Holdener
Vonn’s early exit in the slalom opened the door for Switzerland to capture gold and bronze. Mikaela Shiffrin put in a blistering time in the slalom, but it wasn’t enough to fend off Michelle Gisin. Shiffrin retained silver, holding off Wendy Holdener by just under half a second.
The victory by Gisin gave Switzerland its third gold medal of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Holdener added bronze to the silver she took in the slalom, bringing Switzerland’s overall medal total to 11. The pair came through in a big way to close out the Alpine skiing calendar at these Winter Games.
In the end, Vonn couldn’t deliver the fairy tale finish that few athletes get to enjoy. In many ways, Alpine skiing is a roll of the dice. And when it comes to the Alpine combined, it is two very different rolls of the dice. Shiffrin offered the United States hope for a bright future even as a legend faded away without a full challenge in her final race.
Next: The biggest upset in Alpine skiing history
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