USA wins gold, silver in the Nordic combined

Associated press Johnny Spillane, links, and Nordic combined Bill Demong during cross country part of the men

To walk 600 meters, WHISTLER, British Colombia - Billy demon decided it was time for all the U.S. merger Nordic combined make official.

Fast with four strokes of his pole to evil rise in Whistler Olympic Park Mr demon rose in leadership in the 10 km cross-country skiing race, which marked the culmination of the Nordic combined.

The surge protector marked the end of the challenge for Austrian Bernhard Gruber, who had started the race in the lead after winning the morning competition and with Mr demon and his team-mate jump, Johnny Spillane, during the course on skis. Within seconds, Mr. Gruber was backward drift demon and Spillane were the American efforts searing along the last descent into the stadium for a historic gold and silver finish on the roars of fans of Nations, and in Nordic sport compete once despised.

AFP/Getty Images Bill Demong of United States competes in the Nordic combined individual large hill.

Mr demon said "If you go, there is only a way to go," minutes after the race. "We show up on days like today with the expectation to do well and know that results like this are a realistic opportunity."

Mr demon finished the race in 25: 32.9 after jump sixth in a competition marred by wind and bad weather. Relegated him boot 46 seconds behind Mr Gruber. Mr Spillane finished four seconds after Mr demon start 36 seconds behind Mr Gruber.

The two medals, combined with a silver in the competition team and another in the normal hills 10 km event gave the United States 44% of the medals in the discipline, one of his best performances in any sport in the play. And with Germany nipping on Team USA's heels in the overall medal count is the United States, Nordic combination will have played an important role.

Suggesting, as would a result at best stupid and more likely absurd sport's story 10 or 15 years to anyone with a scintilla of knowledge of this seemed. In 1988, when first Nordic combined was an Olympic sport that produce United States at the bottom of the heap, and the team operated on a shoestring budget for the years after that.

But former coach Tom Steitz began focusing on a few promising athletes were among the first men's demon Spillane, together with Todd Lodwick, the finished 13th Thursday and the ultimate team first spent much of the race move operation from the Chase Pack, type and his teammates to know the comfort were skiing only against Mr Gruber for position on the podium.

"Everyone said the games to win, that would have to increase, Nordic sports for the United States" said Mr Lodwick. "We can not move more than we."

At the World Cup events in the 1990s, would Americans change organizers and prep their skis in the parking lot. European competitors would get together to give you a few shots at the training on the ski jumps. Shortly after Mr. demon the finish line cross he grabbed Mr Steitz and travel reminded him 15 years of training if you the night in an East German psychiatric clinic spent because it offers a bed and a meal for $14.

"The is what we had to then again," Mr Steitz said on Thursday. "We have no other choice."

But Monday's victory was a long way from those grubby beginnings.

On Thursday, the only option, the links for the gentlemen demon and Spillane was when, Mr to Gruber way. The team-mate spoke with each other during the race, alternately at the forefront, speeding up and slowing down the pace, teasing Mr. Gruber. Hill and Mr. of demon's recent surge, a final message came the definitive, that this was his team event.

"We wanted to be alone, just the two of us," said Mr demon. "I don't think either that we even who finished first, only as long as we were one-two."

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