MOSELEY ENDS BIG CHILL; MOGULS RUN BRINGS FIRST U.S. GOLD.Byline: Jo-Ann Barnas Detroit Free Press The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep". Some still refer to it locally as "The Friendly" -- a slogan from an ad campaign in the '70s. Five days after these 18th Winter Games
It was captured by California's Jonny Moseley Jonny Moseley (born August 27, 1975) is the first Puerto Rican to become a member of the U.S. Ski Team. Early years Moseley was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1978, he saw snow for the first time when his family went on a trip to California. , who won the gold in men's moguls on a sunny Wednesday (Tuesday PST PST Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, see there ) at the Iizuna Kogen Ski Area. The accomplishment was a glorious face-saver for the Americans, who had not produced any memorable Olympic moments. ``I got No. 1!'' Moseley screamed as his score of 26.93 was posted. ``I can't believe it. Oh, my god. . . . Now, what do I do? I'm going to Disneyland.'' Moseley clinched the gold, in part, by executing his signature ``360 mute grab,'' a trick in which he crosses his skis and touches them as he spins around 360 degrees before landing back on the course. A pair of Finns captured second and third. The silver medal went to Janne Lahtela Janne Lahtela (born February 28, 1974 in Kemijärvi) is a Finnish former athlete, who established himself as one of the most dominant persons in the history of moguls skiing. He is currently the head coach of Japan's freestyle skiing team. , and Sami Mustonen won the bronze. Canadian Jean-Luc Brassard Jean-Luc Brassard (born August 24, 1972 in Valleyfield, Quebec) is a French-Canadian freestyle skier, winning the gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in the sport's debut as a medal event. , gold medalist in Lillehammer and current world champion, finished fourth. The last time the United States had gone so long without a medal in the Winter Games was 1936, when six days were needed to produce a medal. But Moseley, 22, changed that. The 16th and last competitor to ski the course, he dug his poles into the snow as the crowd chanted, ``USA! USA!'' It was the United States' second Olympic men's medal in the event, which became a full-medal sport in 1992 at Albertville. The U.S. men were shut out at Lillehammer. Nelson Carmichael Nelson Carmichael (born November 19, 1965 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado) is an American mogul skier. He won a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. He was with the U.S. team from 1983-1992. captured the silver at Albertville. Before Moseley competed, U.S. freestyle aerialist Trace Worthington said Moseley had no idea of the pressure facing him. ``At this moment, he doesn't know he's our hope for the first U.S. medal,'' Worthington said. ``He has no idea of the pressure on him right now. The coaches moved him to a hotel before the semifinals, with no TV, no Olympic results, no anything. All he knows is that he's the last one to go and that he wants to win.'' Winner of 12 World Cup medals, including three golds this season, Moseley, a first-time Olympian, earned the last-run position because he had finished first in Sunday's preliminaries. He started in freestyle after entering the ``King of the Hill'' mogul competition in Squaw Valley Squaw Valley, valley, NE Calif., in the Sierra Nevada Mts., NW of Lake Tahoe. A well-known ski and winter recreational resort, it was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Ski lifts and trails are on Squaw Peak (8,960 ft/2,731 m high). at age 9. When he saw himself on TV, he fell in love with the sport. ``I've been lucky my whole life,'' Moseley said. ``My whole career has been boom, boom boom. Who gets the chance to go to an Olympics? I'm lucky as hell. When I was a kid, I just wanted to jump off things.'' In the moguls event, competitors race down a steep course making quick turns accompanied by fast-paced music. At the start of the finals, the crowd yelled ``3-2-1 Nagano!'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Californian Jonny Moseley exalts after his gold-medal winning run in the moguls competition. Tom Van Dyke/San Jose Mercury News |
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