OLYMPICS DAY 3: Austrian wins upset in downhill; American woman gets gold in snowboarding

OLYMPICS DAY 3: Austrian wins upset in downhill; American woman gets gold in snowboarding

Associated Press

SOCHI, Russia

Matthias Mayer shut his eyes for a moment, his day’s work over.

If he had trouble believing what had just happened as he stood before the crowd it was with good reason. The Austrian struck a big upset Sunday in one of the Olympics’ marquee events, capturing the men’s downhill and upending the elite of his sport.

“It’s amazing to be an Olympic champion,” he said.

Mayer has never finished better than fifth in a World Cup downhill. That proved no obstacle in dismissing the preordained favorites — Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway finished fourth and Bode Miller of the U.S. eighth.

Among the eight gold medalists on Day 3 were: snowboarder Jamie Anderson, the American slopestyle queen who triumphed in her sport’s Olympic debut; Irene Wust, who showed why speedskating is Dutch territory; and Russia in team figure skating, likewise an Olympic newcomer, for its first gold in Sochi.