Surprise title for Myhrer as rivals fade in slalom

PYEONGCHANG: Swedish veteran Andre Myhrer captured a shock slalom men’s gold at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics yesterday as the two favourites spectacularly bombed out.

Ramon Zenhaeusern of Switzerland won silver, 0.34sec behind, and Michael Matt of Austria the bronze after his countryman Marcel Hirscher and then Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway crashed out.

It later transpired that Kristoffersen vomited before he started his ill-fated second run.

Myhrer, at 35 years and 42 days, becomes the oldest man to win a slalom Olympic medal, breaking the record set by Austria’s Mario Matt — Michael’s brother — in 2014.

He also follows his “idol” Ingemar Stenmark, who won the slalom and giant slalom in 1980, as only the second Swedish man to claim a Games alpine skiing crown.

“It means everything. I’ve been training my whole life for a moment like this,” said the unheralded Swede.

“I took a medal in Vancouver (2010), a bronze, but I’ve always been dreaming about the gold medal and now it’s a reality and I’m totally blown away.”

Myhrer, who clocked a winning combined time of 1:38.99, was flattered to be talked about in the same breath as Stenmark.

“He’s like an institution in Sweden and one of the greatest athletes in Swedish history,” he said.

“To be named alongside him is a great honour for me. He was my idol since I was growing up and to be named alongside him is simply amazing.”

Myhrer is the second 35-yearold man to take Alpine gold in South Korea after Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the downhill.

The 23-year-old Kristoffersen went fastest in the morning, just ahead of Myhrer, and looked to have one hand on the title.

But nerves appeared to get the better of the Norwegian, skiing last, and his dreams of a first Olympic gold evaporated when he failed to finish his second run.

Kristoffersen, who won silver in the giant slalom in Pyeongchang, refused to blame his vomiting at the start.

“I’m always sick. I’ve been sick for four days. A little cold, didn’t