Ligety Dominates Giant Slalom to Win US First Alpine Gold in Sochi

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, February 19 (R-Sport) – Ted Ligety won the United States its first Alpine skiing gold medal of the Sochi Olympics on Wednesday with a commanding victory in the giant slalom.

Ligety had led by 0.93 seconds after the first run and played it safe in the second, winning by 0.48 seconds from France’s Steve Missilier, with another French, Alexis Pinturault, 0.16 seconds further back in third.

There was dramatic failure for Czech skier Ondrej Bank, who had been heading for silver after the first run but dropped to sixth at the finish.

Ligety’s gold is the fourth medal for the US in Alpine events in Sochi after silver and bronze for Andrew Weibrecht and Bode Miller in the super G and a bronze for Julia Mancuso in downhill.