AP

Marius Lindvik of Norway wins Olympic gold on large hill

Feb 11, 2022, 3:10 PM | Updated: Feb 12, 2022, 6:26 am

Patrick Gasienica, of the United States, soars through the air during a men's large hill qualificat...

Patrick Gasienica, of the United States, soars through the air during a men's large hill qualification round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)


              Patrick Gasienica, of the United States, soars through the air during a men's large hill qualification round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Patrick Gasienica, of the United States,speeds down the hill during a men's large hill training session at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Kevin Bickner, of the United States, speeds down the hill during a men's large hill training session at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Kevin Bickner, of the United States, soars through the air during a men's large hill trial round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Kevin Bickner, of the United States, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual first round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Marius Lindvik, of Norway, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual final at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Gold medal winner Marius Lindvik, of Norway, celebrates after his jump during a men's large hill individual final at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Gold medal winner Marius Lindvik, of Norway, center, poses with silver medal winner Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, left, and bronze medal winner Karl Geiger, of Germany, right during the the venue ceremony for the men's large hill individual event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Gold medal winner Marius Lindvik, of Norway, center, poses with silver medal winner Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, right, and bronze medal winner Karl Geiger, of Germany, during the the venue ceremony for the men's large hill individual event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Silver medal winner Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, poses after the men's large hill individual event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, prepares to jump during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Christof Stache, Pool)
            
              Marius Lindvik, of Norway, speeds down the hill during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Halvor Egner Granerud, of Norway, speeds down the hill during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, speeds down the hill during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Karl Geiger, of Germany, speeds down the hill during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Casey Larson, of the United States, speeds down the hill during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Halvor Egner Granerud, of Norway, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual first round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Gregor Deschwanden, of Switzerland, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Kamil Stoch, of Poland, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Halvor Egner Granerud, of Norway, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Karl Geiger, of Germany, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Ryoyu Kobayashi, of Japan, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual trial round for competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
            
              Marius Lindvik, of Norway, soars through the air during a men's large hill individual first round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Gold medal winner Marius Lindvik, of Norway, reacts after his jump during a men's large hill individual final at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Marius Lindvik of Norway won Olympic gold in ski jumping on the large hill Saturday, soaring past and holding off Ryoyu Kobayashi of Japan.

“Kobayashi is really strong when he’s in the first position after the first round, so I just had to go for it,” Lindvik said.

Lindvik did just that, jumping 140 meters (459 feet) on his final jump and earning 296.1 points overall to become the first Norwegian to win the event since Toralf Engan in 1964.

“It feels insane,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine it.”

Kobayashi, who won gold on the normal hill on Sunday, earned silver after coming up short on the final jump.

“I was tense,” Kobayashi said through an interpreter.

He wasn’t the only one.

“It was a nervous moment when I had to watch Kobayaski,” Lindvik said.

Kobayashi went into the final round with the lead after jumping 142 meters (466 feet) and earning 147 points. Lindvik trailed by only 2.2 points, then flew past him with nearly flawless style.

Karl Geiger of Germany, who is No. 1 in the World Cup rankings, finished third. The result pleasantly surprised Geiger after he finished 15th on the normal hill and said he struggled a lot in training on the large hill.

“It’s really unbelievable what happened that I can achieve the bronze medal,” he said. “Two days ago, I was I was hopeless in my mind.”

Two-time defending champion Kamil Stoch of Poland was fourth, coming up short on his shot to become the first to win three straight Olympic titles on the large hill. The disappointment left him in tears.

“I’m really sad,” Stoch said. “This is not exactly disappointment because I did everything I could. I had a feeling that I did really good, but obviously it was not enough.”

Stoch was one of four previous medalists in the competition, along with 40-year-old Simon Ammann of Switzerland, Peter Prevc of Slovenia and Robert Johansson of Norway.

Prevc finished 10th and Ammann was 25th. Johansson, who won bronze on the normal and large hill at the 2018 Olympics, failed to advance to the 30-jumper final round and finished 32nd.

Like a lot sports at the Beijing Games, some of the best are unable to participate.

Two-time gold medalist Andreas Wellinger isn’t competing in China because he tested positive for COVID-19.

Men have been ski jumping at the Winter Olympics since the first edition in 1924 while women did not have access to the sport at the Olympics until 2014.

The men will be back on the large hill on Monday for a team competition. Norway, Germany and Austria have won the last three Olympic team events. The trio of traditional powers will likely contend for medals again, trying to hold off Slovenia and Japan.

Slovenia won gold on Monday in the first Olympic ski jumping mixed team competition, an event marred by five women being disqualified for having jumpsuits that were too large.

American jumpers Decker Dean, Casey Larson and Kevin Bickner advanced to the qualification round and Patrick Gasienica missed the cut Friday, a result he seemed to see coming as he slammed his skis into the snow walking away from the hill.

Bickner (39th), Larson (43rd) and Dean (45th) finished toward the bottom of the 50-jumper, first-round field Saturday, representing a country that has historically struggled in the sport.

“It’s not the most popular sport in America,” said Bickner, who grew up ski jumping in suburban Chicago at the Norge Ski Club. “I will say, though, that over the past few years we’ve seen some steady growth, which is really cool. I’m hopeful for the future of ski jumping in America.”

___

Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage

___

More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Marius Lindvik of Norway wins Olympic gold on large hill