Alpine skiing-Odermatt gets partial revenge by taking silver in team combined event

BORMIO, Italy, Feb 9 : Multi-decorated Swiss skier Marco Odermatt secured a measure of revenge on Monday by taking silver in the Olympic debut of the men’s team combined event, finishing just behind compatriots Franjo von Allmen and Tanguy Nef after a tight battle on the punishing Stelvio slope. 

The world‑beating all‑rounder had suffered a crushing disappointment in the Milano Cortina Games downhill on Saturday, placing fourth and failing to get an Olympic medal in a discipline that had brought him gold at the 2023 World Championship in Courchevel and several World Cup wins.

"For sure the fourth place was not what I wanted after the downhill, so I was happy to have another chance this morning," said Odermatt, who teamed up with slalom skier Loic Meillard. "And I was happy with my run."

The team combined, a novelty at the Winter Games, pits same-gender teams comprised of two athletes: a downhiller and a slalom specialist. Victory is awarded to the team with the fastest combined time.

SILVER MEDAL SHARED

Odermatt and Meillard, Switzerland's top skier in technical disciplines, placed joint second with Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr and Manuel Feller.

Wearing a Swiss flag around his shoulders, the usually cool Odermatt embraced his teammate after Meillard, who currently ranks seventh in the World Cup for slalom, crossed the finish line.

"(It's) great to share this together with Loic," said Odermatt. "Yeah, there were definitely tough moments in the finish, to wait for Loic." 

Odermatt had delivered the third-fastest run in the downhill leg of the combined event, with Meillard clocking the 12th fastest time in his run. Still, their combined effort was enough to secure silver in a tie with the Austrian duo.

The medal ends a