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Radamus grabs another gold at youth Olympics

Lindsey Vonn, Ambassador for the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games, poses for a photograph with River Radamus during her visit to the Games Monday. Vonn and Radamus both call Eagle County home.
Special to the Daily |

HAFJELL, Norway — Edwards ski racer River Radamus grabbed the hat trick Wednesday at the Winter Youth Olympic Games giant slalom with his third gold medal of the Games.

The win made Radamus, an athlete with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, the first Youth Olympic Games skier or snowboarder to win three individual gold medals at the Winter Games, which were initiated in 2012. Radamus also won the super-G and alpine combined golds at the Games.

“Although the super-G and alpine combined wins were great, River had high expectations for the giant slalom,” said Chad Wolk, Youth Olympic Games and men’s FIS National Training Group coach. “He has had some strong training sessions leading up to (Wednesday’s) performance. Early in the day he seemed nervous about the added pressure of the previous day’s success but found a way to let go of the external and focus on what he needed to do in order to go fast.”



A ‘Tactical Approach’

Radamus’ combined time in both runs of the giant slalom was 1.07 seconds faster than Japan’s Yohei Koyama, who finished second. Germany’s Anton Grammel took home the bronze medal.

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“Both courses were challenging,” Wolk said. “The first run was pretty offset with consistent swing, and the second run had multiple rhythm changes and demanding changes of direction. River executed his tactical approach to a tee. We couldn’t be happier for him.”

Modeled after the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games debuted its winter event in 2012 at Innsbruck, Austria. Held every four years, the Youth Olympic Winter Games feature more than 1,100 athletes aged 15 to 18, from around the world. Alpine events will include slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and alpine combined. The Games continue through Sunday.

Radamus has been building confidence arriving, Yolk said, and that will culminate on Friday when the men ski the slalom, Radamus’ best discipline. He is the current U.S Junior National slalom champion.


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