Winter Olympics: Ireland's Jack Gower finishes 12th in Alpine skiing event

Jack Gower, the sole Team Ireland athlete in action today, finished 12th overall in the Alpine Combined event at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing today.

Competing in his first Olympics, Gower started the day strong with 14th in the Downhill, before going two places better in the Slalom, finishing with an overall time of 2:37.74 and Ireland’s best Alpine Skiing result ever; a Winter Olympic result only bettered by Lord Clifton Wrottesley who finished fourth in the Skeleton in 2002.

The Alpine Combined is an event where athletes compete in the Downhill speed event with the more technical Slalom, the overall winner is the fastest racer once the race times are combined.

Normally a Downhill specialist, Gower put down a clean run in the challenging and technical Slalom course, finishing 12th fastest in that run with a time of 52:58, placing him firmly inside his top 15 goal when it was combined with the earlier Downhill time of 1:45.16, resulting in an overall twelfth fastest time of 2:37.74.

Pleased with his finish position, Gower said: “Twelfth at the Olympics, I mean that’s crazy – there’s 30,000 competitors in Alpine Skiing, to get 12th is… what can I say, it’s great.

“As an athlete you always want a little more. The downhill I had some really good sections and some slower sections, and the slalom was a real battle, so I would love to have done better. But at the same time 12th in the Olympics in such a competitive sport is huge, and I feel so grateful that I have had such huge support.”

Speaking after the Downhill earlier in the day, Gower was happy with his run, saying: “This track is brilliant, with all the slipping it’s getting a bit bumpier, a little bit icier and a little faster which suits me. I had too many