Austrian Mayer wins gold days after taking nasty fall

After crashing out of the alpine combined days earlier and failing to defend his downhill title, Matthias Mayer broke Norway’s 16-year grip on the men’s Olympic super-G title, winning an unexpected gold medal four years after unexpectedly winning the downhill. “Unbelievable,” said Mayer, who had been a disappointing ninth one day earlier in the marquee speed race. “I didn’t know if I would start the downhill. I had real pain in my hip.” Mayer was 0.13 seconds faster than silver medallist Beat Feuz of Switzerland, with Kjetil Jansrud third. Dustin Cook was the top Canadian in ninth place. Manuel Osborne-Paradis wound up 22nd. Aksel Lund Svindal, the 2010 Olympic champion in super-G, placed fifth after taking Mayer’s downhill title on Friday.