Carina Vogt is the first ever Olympic Champion in ladies' ski jumping, Sara Takanashi could not win a medal. Silver and bronze went to Daniela Iraschko-Stolz of Austria and French Coline Mattel
After a spectacular Olympic debut, Carina Vogt was lost for words in the outrun and couldn't believe her luck: "I don't know what to say. This is unbelievable. I'm the first Olympic Champion in ladies' ski jumping. Three hours ago i wouldn't have thought that this is possible", said Vogt.
In the lead already after the first round
The German was already in the lead after the first round, she showed the best jump with 103 m. The 22-year-old, who didn't win a World Cup competition yet, kept her nerves and took the win with 97.5 m in the final and 247.4 points.
Iraschko-Stolz risked it all
After her first jump on 98.5 m, Iraschko-Stolz was only fifth after the first round and risked it all in the final. She posted the longest jump of the day on 104.5 m and could barely avoid a fall. But with a total of 246.2 points she scored the points she needed to come in ahead of Coline Mattel and Sara Takanashi. "This means so much to me. I've always dreamed of winning an Olympic medal. It's like a fairy tale. I lost Gold in the first round, but I won Silver with the second jump. I was a bit shocked that I was jumping that far." Mattel, who was on the podium only once in this World Cup season, won her medal with jumps on 99.5 m and 97.5 m and 245.2 points: "There are no words to describe that. It's amazing. I think this is the best day of my life. My whole family supported me. I think that now they will all be screaming. I'm happy that I could make them happy."
No medal for Takanashi
The actual surprise of the day was Sara Takanashi. She already won ten World Cup competitions this season and the title at the Junior World Championships. Gold seemed to be the logical consequence. But her timing at the take-off was not that good in both rounds, in the final she lost valuable points at the landing. She scored 243.0 points with her jumps on 100 m and 98.5 m and finished only fourth. For Evelyn Insam her fifth place is a success. The Italian achieved her best result this season with 98.5 m and 99 m and 242.2 points. Maja Vtic was the best Slovene in sixth, only 0.1 points ahead of Japanese Yuki Ito. Maren Lundby (235.5 points) and Line Jahr (234.6 points) achieved a good result for Norway in eighth and ninth. Jessica Jerome was the best of the US team in tenth with 234.1 points. Lindsey Van and Sarah Hendrickson, after her long break due to a knee injury, were 15th and 21st and can also be satisfied. The Canadians Atsuko Tanaka and Taylor Henrich finished 12th and 13th. The oldest athlete in this competition, 30-year-old Helena Olsson Smeby was 14th.
Avvakumova disappointed
Irina Avvakumova will not be satisfied with her performance. With her win at the World Cup in Chaikovsky earlier this year, she raised hopes for the Russians, now she came in only 16th. Also Julia Kykkaenen could not repeat her good performances of the training and was 17th. Bigna Windmueller, only competitor of Switzerland, was 18th, followed by Julia Clair and Lea Lemare of France. For Ulrike Graessler (22nd) and Gianina Ernst (28th) it was all about taking part in this event. Both had fever recently and could not show their best performances.
