Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg hailed Kjetil Jansrud as an “idol” after he stormed to a stunning victory in the men’s Olympic super-G on Sunday.
“It’s a great day for Norway. I’m sure the Norwegian people have had a very happy morning,” beamed Solberg.
The premier watched on as Jansrud claimed victory with a high bib number of 21 in bright, warm conditions at Rosa Khutor, where the stands had a large Norwegian contingent.
Jansrud, 28, timed 1min 18.14sec down the super-G. American Andrew Weibrecht took silver and Canada’s Jan Hudec shared bronze with US veteran Bode Miller.
Jansrud’s teammate and one of the race’s big favourites Aksel Lund Svindal, however, could only finish seventh.
“It would of course have been great if we had two on the podium, but I think we should be grateful for the one we have won, that’s the gold medal. Jansrud’s done a tremendous job throughout the Olympic Games,” Solberg said.
“He (Jansrud) is absolutely an idol for young Norwegians.”
Solberg said Norway’s strong alpine skiing tradition, kickstarted by now-retired legends Kjetil Andre Aamodt and Lasse Kjus, was formed on the bedrock of the Winter Games the city of Lillehammer hosted in 1994.
With Jansrud’s gold, Norway have now won the last four men’s Olympic super-G titles following Aamodt’s victories in 2002 and 2006, and Svindal’s win in 2010.
“It started up in the mid-1990s with a very good group of youth that’s started to be very good. They’ve been idols for a lot of young Norwegians,” Solberg said.
“Then of course after the Olympic Games in Lillehammer we had better downhill areas, so I think it’s a good training opportunity also.”
That was in evidence with a third Norwegian, the 21-year-old Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, finishing an impressive 13th at 1.30sec.
Jansrud admitted there had “been the idea of having the two of us (Jansrud and Svindal) on the podium”, adding of his gold: “It means the world to me. It’s the biggest thing you can win.
“It’s something I have worked for since I was a little kid, so I am just going to enjoy it. So far this Olympic Games has gone better than I had hoped.”
Svindal rued a bad approach to the opening three gates of the 2km-long course that cost him a place on the podium alongside compatriot Jansrud.
“Jansrud? I wouldn’t have beaten no matter what. It could have been a double if I hadn’t messed up the first three turns, but I messed them up and it’s my fault. I just wasn’t good enough,” Svindal said.
“I lost a medal in the first three turns.”
When asked about Norway’s dominance in the super-G, Svindal replied: “Instead of analysing it, I’m just happy with it.
“I’m not that surprised with Jansrud’s performance because after my run I felt like you can be a lot faster than this and he was and I’m glad it was him and no one else. That was impressive.”
Premier Solberg insisted Norway were going to go for more gold as the Games enter their final week.
“We have more expectations,” she said. “There are more cross-country (races), more alpine, we’ll at least give a good fight for it.”
