WHISTLER, B.C. — Johnny Spillane of Steamboat Springs made ski history for the second time today, claiming the first-ever Olympic medal for the U.S. in Nordic Combined.
In 2003, Spillane won at the world championships the first gold medal for the U.S. in any nordic sport. Today he took silver in the “normal hill” Nordic Combined event, finishing less than a second behind gold medalist Jason Lamy Chappuis of France. Alessandro Pittin of Italy took the bronze medal and Steamboat’s Lodwick was fourth, .7 of a second behind Pittin.
“I’m just thrilled,” Spillane said. “It didn’t take anything special today. It wasn’t like this was a miracle event, and we put three guys into the top six. It was obviously a very good day for us.”
Bill Demong of Vermontville, N.Y., was sixth.
The magnitude of Spillane’s achievement is hard to overstate.
“I’m ecstatic, how could you not be?” said Luke Bodensteiner, U.S. Ski Team vice-president of athletics and a lifelong nordic guy. “This is huge. So many people have worked so long at this, and believed in these guys when nobody else did. It’s just so gratifying.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
