Westgaard earns 29th-place finish

SKIING: Thomas Maloney Westgaard was the final Irish participant in the Winter Olympics, and he came 29th in the cross-country skiing 50km mass start.

The event actually only lasted 28km, reduced as it was on the day owing to inclement weather conditions on the course in Beijing.

Maloney Westgaard (above) had suggested before the race his target was to finish inside the top 30, and he managed that. Gold and silver were taken by Russian competitors, with Norway taking bronze.