PREDAZZO, Italy, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Slovenia won the gold medal in the mixed team ski jumping event at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Tuesday, led by siblings Nika and Domen Prevc, while Norway claimed silver and Japan took bronze.
The Slovenian team of Nika Vodan, Anze Lanisek, along with the Prevc siblings produced a series of consistently strong jumps to finish at 1069.2 points, sealing a comfortable victory over Norway and rarely coming under serious pressure during the competition.
Norway had been considered a strong gold medal contender, led by Anna Odine Stroem, who won the first ski jumping competition of the Games in the women’s normal hill event.
Slovenia entered the competition as clear favourites and delivered throughout, building a decisive lead after the opening round.
Domen Prevc sealed the victory with the final jump of the night at 102 metres, celebrating on landing, knowing he had secured Slovenia’s first gold in ski jumping at these Olympics.
REVENGE OF THE PREVCS
For both Nika and Domen Prevc, the Games began in a less than ideal fashion, with neither fully living up to their status as gold medal favourites.
Nika Prevc settled for silver in the women’s normal hill event and was visibly upset after the competition, while Domen Prevc finished sixth in the normal hill for men.
With the gold, the Slovenian team finally felt a sense of redemption.
"Today we came together as a team and rise together as a team, and this is what makes us great," head coach of the Slovenian women's ski jumping team Jurij Tepes told Reuters.
Domen Prevc acknowledged the weight of expectation before the event: “It was big pressure. I am glad that I managed to turn this pressure and focus in the right direction and get the gold medal."
Despite the silver medal, Stroem believed a second place finish was a win for Norway.
"Amazing games for me so far, over any expectations that I had, I've been doing quite well technique-wise and ski-jumping wise, so I'm happy with that and fun to win as a team," she said.
(Tommy Lund and Liz Hampton in Predazzo;Editing by Toby Davis and Alison Williams)
