Winter Olympics: Chris Mazdzer wins first men’s singles luge medal in U.S. history
Mazdzer, who hadn't come near a World Cup podium this season, wins silver in Pyeongchang
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1 min read
Team USA picked up it second medal of the 2018 Winter Olympics in historic fashion on Sunday when Chris Mazdzer held on for the silver to claim the first men's singles luge medal in U.S. history. Mazdzer wasn't considered a serious medal threat in the men's single luge after not coming close to a World Cup podium this season.
But Felix Loch of Germany, ranked No. 1 in the world, went sideways on a turn in his final run, all but ending his shot at a medal.
HISTORY MADE!
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 11, 2018
Chris @Mazdzer wins the first men’s singles luge medal in U.S. history! pic.twitter.com/7pPZ4sekhj
.@mazdzer just won the FIRST men’s singles luge medal in U.S. history with a SILVER!🥈🙌 pic.twitter.com/uaxbkto6Qo
— U.S. Olympic Team (@TeamUSA) February 11, 2018
Current Mood:#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/M3bh02EhSe
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 11, 2018
Sunday's podium was a shocker from top to bottom. David Gleirscher of Austria, who had never medaled in a World Cup singles race, won the gold, finishing his four runs in 3 minutes, 10.702 seconds. Per the Associated Press, it was Austria's first gold in luge in 50 years. Mazdzer made history for the U.S. by finishing second in 3:10.728. Germany's Johannes Ludwig took third in 3:10.932.
Loch, all but a lock in this event, wound up in fifth, ending his bid to become the second slider to win the Olympic men's single luge three consecutive times.
Mazdzer, 29, who hails from Pittsfield, Mass., had finished 13th in his two previous Olympic appearances -- Vancouver and Sochi -- and was just 18th in the World Cup overall standings entering Pyeongchang.
"It's 16 years in the making," Mazdzer told NBC's Lewis Johnson. "I've had a rough last two years, and it just shows: Don't ever give up. Whenever you lose, keep fighting. "
Medal Tracker
PyeongChang 2018
|
Country
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
14 | 14 | 11 | 39 |
|
14 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
|
11 | 8 | 10 | 29 |
|
9 | 8 | 6 | 23 |
|
8 | 6 | 6 | 20 |
|
7 | 6 | 1 | 14 |
|
5 | 8 | 4 | 17 |
|
5 | 6 | 4 | 15 |
|
5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
|
5 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
|
4 | 5 | 4 | 13 |
|
3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
|
2 | 6 | 9 | 17 |
|
2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
|
1 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
|
1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
|
1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
|
1 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
|
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
