Bright bags gold for Australia in Vancouver
Snowboarder Torah Bright won Australia’s first gold medal of the 2010 Winter Olympics, picking herself up after a first run fall to beat much-vaunted American duo Hannah Teter and Gretchen Bleiler in the women’s halfpipe.
Olympic champion Teter led the field after the first run, scoring 42.4 with the five-judge panel while Bleiler and Bright, who earned the top score in qualifying, both fell.
Bright’s fall put in her last place, meaning she was first out for the second run but the Utah-based 23-year-old thrived on her medal-or-bust effort, scoring 45 to take top spot.
Bleiler fell again on her run and Teter, under pressure, could only score a 39.2 with her second effort so she had to settle for silver with fellow American Kelly Clark finishing with 42.2 for the bronze.
On her medal-winning run, Bright said: ``I was standing up there, and was like 'There's nothing I can do now, whatever will be, will be.'''
Canada needed overtime and superstar Sidney Crosby to see off a spirited Switzerland in 3-2 in the men’s ice hockey.
The Canadians, widely tipped to at least reach the final on home ice, let slip a 2-0 lead when Ivo Ruthemann and Patrick von Gunten, who both play their hockey in Switzerland, scored against a team packed with NHL stars.
Pittsburgh Penguin Crosby, probably the highest profile athlete at these Games, came to the rescue by netting the game-winning goal past Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller.
“It was one of the best games I’ve ever seen from the Swiss national team,” Hiller said.
