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Winter Olympics 2018: Ski jumper Stoch grabs gold for Poland!

PR dla Zagranicy
Alicja Baczyńska 17.02.2018 15:10
Polish ski jumper Kamil Stoch on Saturday won the men's Large Hill individual event at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, his country's first medal at the Games in South Korea.
Poland's Kamil Stoch soars to victory in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz MomotPoland's Kamil Stoch soars to victory in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot

Up to now Polish athletes had failed to impress, leaving fans jittery about the nation's chances of Olympic glory.

Stoch soared 135.0 metres to take the lead in the first round, and then topped it with 136.5 metres in the second and final round, notching up a total of 285.7 points.

That was enough to defend Stoch's crown from the Sochi Games in 2014 and to claim the third Olympic victory of his career.

Germany’s Andreas Wellinger claimed the silver on Saturday, with 282.3 points, while Norway’s Robert Johansson took the bronze, with 275.3 points.

Stoch is a two-time Sochi Winter Olympics champion and the winner of the prestigious Four Hills Tournament. His victory at the Pyeongchang Games cements his position as a national sports icon in Poland.

Ahead of the Games, Polish officials named ski jumping as Poland’s biggest chance of an Olympic medal in South Korea.

Poland's Sports and Tourism Minister Witold Bańka said that it was realistic to expect that Polish athletes would bring home two to three medals from South Korea.

Stoch's success on Saturday boosts fans' hopes as Polish ski jumpers prepare to take part in the men's team competition on Monday.

(pk/aba)

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