The Philippines’ Asa Miller competes in the first run of the men’s slalom during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre in Yanqing on February 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff PACHOUD / AFP)
YANQING, China – Austria’s Johannes Strolz is in prime position to win his second gold medal of the Winter Olympics after finishing in top spot after the first run of the men’s slalom, two hundredths of a second ahead of Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen.
Filipino-American Asa Miller was among those who failed to finish as he wrapped up his second Winter Olympics campaign with a DNF.
On Sunday, Miller also recorded a DNF in giant slalom—the same event where he finished 70th at the Pyeongyang Games four years ago.
Strolz, who won gold in the combined on Thursday, the same race his father Hubert won at the Calgary Games in 1988, was 0.06 seconds ahead of another Norwegian, Sebastian Foss-Solevaag, who finished third.
“It was a good first run,” Strolz said. “I’m surprised myself because the feeling wasn’t that great. I tried to attack and it paid off. There were a few pretty tight moments. I have to focus well on the second run.”
Swiss skier Loic Meillard was 0.30 seconds behind the leader in fourth after the first run down the ‘Ice River’ course.
Of the 88 skiers on the starting list, 34 skied out, but there were no serious crashes during the opening run.
The second run of the final men’s individual Alpine skiing event of the Games starts at 13:45 local time (0545 GMT).
Austria’s Johannes Ewald Strolz competes in the first run of the men’s slalom during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre in Yanqing on February 16, 2022. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Eight other racers were within a second of Strolz, with Germany’s Linus Strasser in fifth place, 0.33 seconds off the pace, followed by France’s Clement Noel, Austrian Michael Matt and Italy’s Tommaso Sala.
Bulgarian Albert Popov was also well placed, 0.70 seconds behind Strolz in ninth place, followed by the Russian Olympic Committee’s Alexander Khoroshilov, Switzerland’s Ramon Zenhaeusern and Italy’s Giuliano Razzoli.
Dave Ryding, the 35-year-old Briton who won the classic Kitzbuehel race, was 16th, 1.21 seconds behind the leader.