American-born snowboarder Vic Wild won a surprise Olympic gold medal for Russia in parallel giant slalom Wednesday, minutes after his wife won bronze in the women's event.
Wild was half a second behind Switzerland's Nevin Galmarini before the second run of the final, but took full advantage of his opponent's errors to win by a two-second margin.
Slovenia's Zan Kosir, who overturned a 0.76-second disadvantage to beat German Patrick Bussler on the second run of the small final, came in third.
Wild’s wife, Alena Zavarzina, who won bronze for Russia in the women's event, played a key role in Wild's decision to switch allegiances to Russia in time for the 2011-12 season, citing the low funding for alpine snowboard events in the U.S.
Since then, Wild has become a snowboard heavyweight, winning world championship bronze last year and taking his first World Cup win in parallel slalom this season.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
