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From the Olympics Toward Tomorrow
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Satoya wins surprise Olympic gold for host in moguls
 Tae Satoya |
12:00- Start
Tae Satoya clinched a surprise victory for host Japan in the Olympic women's moguls final in freestyle skiing Wednesday as she outdid the favorites at the Iizuna Kogen ski area in northern Nagano.
Satoya, skiing sixth in the final group with the top 10 finishers from Sunday's elimination round to follow, made her turns smoothly down the bumpy course and pulled off a clean single twister-side split and a soaring kosak for the two required jumps to claim the top spot.
The 21-year-old Sapporo native, who had never previously triumphed at an international meet, became the first Japanese woman to win a gold medal in a winter Olympics after none of the leaders from Sunday were able to surpass the 25.06 points she had received.
''I knew I won when the last competitor (Anne-Marie Pelchat of Canada) finished her run,'' Satoya said. ''I can't remember anything about the moments just after I was done skiing. My mind just went blank.''
Satoya's victory gave the host country its second gold and third medal overall in the 18th Winter Games and also marked the first time that Japan has won more than one gold medal in a single winter Olympics.
A pre-competition favorite Tatjana Mittermayer of Germany, the 1991 world silver medalist and three-time world bronze winner, finished with a silver medal, 0.44 points behind Satoya.
Third place went to Kari Traa of Norway with 24.09 points.
Japan's Aiko Uemura, a high school student from Hakuba, placed seventh with 23.79 points.
Speed skater Hiroyasu Shimizu won the men's 500-meter sprint Tuesday for Japan's first gold medal of the games and compatriot Kazuyoshi Funaki came from behind to claim a silver medal in the normal hill ski jumping competition earlier Wednesday. (Kyodo News)
Results of freestyle skiing women's moguls after the final run Wednesday in the 18th Olympic Winter Games at Iizuna Kogen, Nagano:
1. Tae Satoya, Japan 25.06 points
2. Tatjana Mittermayer, Germany 24.62
3. Kari Traa, Norway 24.09
4. Donna Weinbrecht, U.S. 24.02
5. Anne-Marie Pelchat, Canada 23.95
6. Minna Karhu, Finland 23.83
7. Aiko Uemura, Japan 23.79
8. Elizabeth Mcintyre, U.S. 23.72
9. Sandra Schmitt, Germany 23.67
10. Ann Battelle, U.S. 23.65
Moseley wins 1st U.S. Olympic gold
Jonny Moseley claimed the first Olympic gold medal for the United States in Nagano on Wednesday as he won the men's moguls competition in freestyle skiing at the 18th Winter Games in central Japan.
Moseley performed a double twist-split combination for his first aerial maneuver and then a difficult 360 degree turn in the air with his skis crossed behind him for the second try as he skied deftly down the bumpy course at the Iizuna Kogen ski area.
The 22-year-old native of San Juan received the highest mark of 7.20 points for his turns on the moguls and scored the day's best 7.05 and 7.20 for the two air moves as he clocked the second fastest time of 25.10 seconds.
The total score for Moseley, who also passed Sunday's elimination round on top of the 32-man field, was 26.93 out of a possible 30 points.
Finland's Janne Lahtela won the silver medal with 26.00 points, while countryman Sami Mustonen took the bronze another 0.24 points behind.
Defending champion Jean-Luc Brassard of Canada, who also won the world championships held here last February, pulled off two high-level original jumps but missed the medals with a fourth-place finish.
From host Japan, Gota Miura finished 13th and Daigo Hara, who lost balance on his turns and slid on his back for a portion of his run, ended at the bottom among the 15 men who completed their races.
Results of freestyle skiing men's moguls after the final run Wednesday in the 18th Olympic Winter Games at Iizuna Kogen, Nagano:
1. Jonny Moseley, U.S. 26.93 points
2. Janne Lahtela, Finland 26.00
3. Sami Mustonen, Finland 25.76
4. Jean-Luc Brassard, Canada 25.52
5. Lauri Lassila, Finland 25.43
6. Jesper Ronnback, Sweden 25.32
7. Ryan Johnson, Canada 25.25
8. Stephane Rochon, Canada 25.01
9. Kurre Lansburgh, Sweden 24.71
10. Alexander Wilson, U.S. 24.68
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13. Gota Miura, Japan 23.06
15. Daigo Hara, Japan 12.13
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Copyright 1999 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun