ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, February 22 (R-Sport) – Julia Dujmovits of Austria made up a 0.72 second deficit in the second run to beat Germany's Anke Karstens and claim gold in the women's parallel slalom snowboard event at the Sochi Olympics on Saturday.
Dujmovits, the giant slalom world silver medalist, looked an unlikely winner after the first run but snaked down the Extreme Park course to overtake Karstens and claim the gold and turn the 0.72 second deficit into a 0.12 advantage.
"I don't know what to say. I'm just so happy and thankful," Dujmovits said. "I have had a lot of injuries. My (anterior cruciate ligament) twice. I just never gave up. ... To be Olympic champion today is amazing."
Bronze went to Germany's Amelie Kober, a Turin 2006 silver medalist in the giant slalom who won the small final against Corinna Boccacini of Italy.
Dujmovits was eliminated in qualifying for the equivalent competition in Sochi earlier in the week.
Patrizia Kummer, who stormed to gold in the giant slalom Wednesday for Switzerland, lost to Kober in the preliminaries.
Russia's challenge ended in the last 16 – former world champion Ekaterina Tudegesheva made major errors on her first run that she couldn't atone for in her second. Giant slalom bronze medalist Alena Zavarzina, the wife of men's gold medalist Vic Wild, lost to Dujmovits and Natalia Soboleva was ousted by Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic.
Japan's giant slalom silver medalist Tomoka Takeuchi was disqualified in the first round.
