Bobsled: Silver for U.S. duo

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Up in the starting area on a frigid night in the mountains, only three women’s bobsled pilots remained. One was the two-time defending Olympic gold medalist. Another was the reigning world champion. And the third was someone without a single victory of any international significance on her résumé. Guess who prevailed? Women’s bobsledding has a new star, and a surprise Olympic champion. Germany’s Mariama Jamanka — winless in 23 career toptier starts in her sport coming into the Pyeongchang Games — put together four nearly flawless runs on her way to winning gold at the Alpensia Sliding Center on Wednesday night, holding off Elana Meyers Taylor of the U.S. and Kaillie Humphries of Canada.

“I still can’t believe it, that we won,” Jamanka said. “I’m absolutely over the moon.”

Jamanka and brakeman Lisa Buckwitz finished their four runs in 3 minutes, 22.45 seconds. Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs of the U.S. were second in 3:22.52, the 0.07-second margin the closest between first and second in any Olympic women’s bobsled race.

Meyers Taylor finished her final run in 50.73 seconds, jumped out of her sled, threw her arms in the air and celebrated with Gibbs. And then everyone turned their attention to the top of the track, to see if Jamanka could pull off the win.

“We came up short, but me and Lauren gave everything we had until the very last hundredth,” Meyers Taylor said. “We won a silver medal.”