Alpine skiing: Alcott ecstatic as best mate Mancuso grabs silver

Whistler (AFP) - Britain's Chemmy Alcott did not get anywhere near an Olympic medal on Wednesday after a solid downhill performance peppered with "a few silly mistakes".

But the Twickenham-born Alcott was among the happiest in the field after best friend Julia Mancuso stormed to a surprise silver medal behind American teammate Lindsey Vonn.

"I'm so happy for Julia. I want to be winning and that's my dream, but if I'm not then it's Julia (I want to win)," said Alcott, who finished 3.12secs behind Vonn.

"She's been the underdog for so long. Everyone's been talking about Lindsey, and rightly so -- she's the best competitor out there and she has taken skiing to a new level.

"But Julia had an awesome run. She's ready for anything and she can attack the jumps. When she came down she didn't know how good it was and the first thing she said to me was, 'how was the run?'

"I just said to her, 'you're joking!'"

Mancuso was one of the few stars of the US team at the Turin Games in 2006 when she won gold in the giant slalom.

But since then she has lived in Vonn's shadow as the 25-year-old alpine queen has gone on to win a series of World Cup and world championship titles.

Mancuso only returned to competition with real ambitions this season after being sidelined with a back injury for long periods last year.

It was no surprise that after defying most people's predictions to secure her second Olympic medal, she collapsed in tears after hugging with Alcott.

"I'm just happy," said the American.

"It's been a long battle the last year, I just wanted to have a good run and feel good.

"I was really, really nervous last night and I wanted to use that energy. I used that energy and went out and I did my best."

Despite appearing to master the bumpy and technical run, Mancuso said she could have done better.

"I felt like I was a little out of control, I was bummed by my first section, I feel like I was too straight," she said.

But after this achievement, the Californian must now feel she can afford to replace her pre-Olympic doubts with new-found confidence.

"Coming off my back injury I really did not see the podium anywhere near me," she said.

"But I knew that I really just had to hang on and keep going for it, and it's really been a tough long road. It's exciting."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Alpine
• skiing
• Chemmy
• Alcott
• silver
• olympic
• vancouver
• 2010

[TheShuey]

Chemmy Is Amazing , She has Put herself at the Top of The World , and for a Very Small Team to Do that ,, Is Unreal . and she does it ,, with No Support from

Great Britian Whatsoever . Kind of Rediculous really . When She won the Opener in Austria in the Giant Slalom ( Won one of the runs )  I Was Stunned .

That Was Truly Amazing ! Go Chemmy Go !!!!!!

[MrNormalton]

Well done on trying to grab someone elses limelight after failing to place anywhere yourself, saddo.