Tuesday April 30, 2024

Rukajärvi brings 2nd Olympics medal for Finland

Published : 12 Feb 2018, 11:49

Updated : 12 Feb 2018, 12:30

  DF Report
Champion Jamie Anderson of the United States (C), second-placed Laurie Blouin of Canada (L) and third-placed Enni Rukajärvi of Finland pose for group photos after the ladies' snowboard slopestyle final at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games at the Phoenix Snow Park in PyeongChang, South Korea, on Feb. 12, 2018. Photo Xinhua.

Enni Rukajärvi won bronze in the in snowboard of PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Monday.

Rukajärvi, who finished in 75.38, became the first Finnish snowboarder to win two medals at the Winter Games, adding a bronze to last edition's silver in Sochi.

This was the second medal for the country in PyeongChang Winter Olympics this year so far.

Earlier, Krista Pärmäkoski won first medal for Finland on Saturday in the women's 15-kilometre skiathlon.

News agency Xinhua adds: Jamie Anderson gifted United States their second gold medal in snowboard of PyeongChang Winter Olympics as she defended her title in a delayed women's slopestyle final here on Monday.

Anderson became the first woman to win two Olympic gold medals in snowboard with her unparalleled 83.00-point performance in the first run. She also equalled four other snowboarders, including her compatriot Shaun White, to win two gold medals at the Winter Olympic Games.

The United States has so far clinched 12 gold medals in total in snowboard since winning its first back in 2002.

"I'm feeling so happy. I've gone through so much last year just preparing for the Games and defending the gold is definitely not an easy position to be in," said Anderson. "I had a lot of pressure and I'm just so proud of myself."

The final on Monday morning had to be delayed due to bad weather, with the third run of all finalists cancelled.

"It's hard. We have to be so intuitive with the weather, the course, with how you feel. I'm just so happy I put one down and I really didn't think it was going to last over to the second run," added Anderson.

Laurie Blouin was placed second in 76.33, earning Canada a medal in a second women's snowboard event, as the nation's three previous medals all came from the snowboard cross.

Prior to Anderson's victory, teenage sensation Redmond Gerard of United States won the men's counterpart on Sunday, becoming the first medalist at the Olympic Winter Games born after 1 January 2000.