!['One-shot' Noel trumps Strolz for Olympic slalom gold](https://www.portugalcolonial.pt/media/shared/articles/08/81/bc/-One-shot--Noel-trumps-Strolz-for-O-603409.jpg)
-
Relaxed Peaty begins bid to match Phelps' record
-
Chang, Chen bag Olympic diving gold for China
-
Top China, US diplomats begin meeting in Laos
-
First Olympic medals up for grabs as rain disrupts Games
-
Epic pool rivalry lights up first day of Olympic medal action
-
IOC apologises for South Korea gaffe in Olympics opening ceremony
-
Bangladesh says student leaders held for their own safety
-
Japan's Sado mines added to World Heritage list
-
'Windmill love' sees Dutch artist become mill operator
-
US defends law forcing sale of TikTok app
-
Messi out for defending champ Miami as Leagues Cup begins
-
Australia bans uranium mining at Indigenous site
-
Divers attempt to reach sunken Philippine oil tanker
-
Trump accuses Harris of anti-Semitism in overblown speech
-
Coughlin clings to lead at LPGA Canadian Women's Open
-
Trump offers tech sector policy flips ahead of election
-
Spacecraft to swing by Earth, Moon on path to Jupiter
-
What's the fallout of Mexican drug lords' capture?
-
Video game makers see actors as AI 'data,' says union on strike
-
Chinese qualifier Shang to face Thompson in ATP Atlanta semis
-
'Massive attack' on French rail threatens more chaos
-
'We did it!': France breathes sigh of relief after Olympics ceremony
-
Regional concern grows as Venezuela blocks vote observers
-
Historic river parade, Dion show-stopper ignite Paris Olympics
-
Rainy Paris Olympic parade dampens many spectators' spirits
-
The one of a kind Paris opening ceremony: five memorable moments
-
Justin Timberlake seeks to dismiss DUI case
-
Warner Brothers Discovery sues NBA over Amazon rights deal
-
Kobe Bryant locker, Maradona jersey up for auction in New York
-
Historic river parade launches Paris Olympics
-
New York family of Holocaust victim reclaims Nazi-looted art
-
NASA Mars rover captures rock that could hold fossilized microbes
-
Thousands evacuate season's biggest wildfire in northern California
-
Ethiopia mourns victims of landslide tragedy
-
Lady Gaga adds sparkle to star-studded Olympic show
-
Airbus and Boeing supremacy secure despite turbulence
-
Teams sail down Seine in rain-soaked Olympics opening ceremony
-
West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third Test
-
Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine
-
Mott's England future uncertain as ECB chief fails to offer support
-
Trump meets Israeli PM Netanyahu in Florida
-
S.African police say 95 Libyans detained at suspected military camp
-
Blinken set for talks with Chinese counterpart in Laos
-
Norris heads Piastri in McLaren one-two at Belgian GP practice
-
G20 seeks common ground on taxing super-rich
-
European medicines watchdog rejects new Alzheimer's drug
-
Habib, Ebden eye Alcaraz and Djokovic shocks at Olympics tennis
-
Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris opening ceremony
-
Two Sinaloa Cartel leaders face US charges after stunning capture
-
Spain train driver jailed for 2.5 years over deadly 2013 crash
!['One-shot' Noel trumps Strolz for Olympic slalom gold](https://www.portugalcolonial.pt/media/shared/articles/08/81/bc/-One-shot--Noel-trumps-Strolz-for-O-603409.jpg)
'One-shot' Noel trumps Strolz for Olympic slalom gold
Clement Noel claimed France's first alpine skiing gold medal of the Beijing Olympics when he won the men's slalom on Wednesday.
Noel, sixth fastest after the first run, laid down the quickest second run to clock a combined total of 1min 44.09sec down the "Ice River" course in Yanqing in bitterly cold and sunny conditions.
Austria's Johannes Strolz, already a gold medallist in the alpine combined at these Games, took silver 0.61sec behind, while Norwegian Sebastian Foss-Solevaag claimed bronze at 0.70sec.
Strolz had been fastest in the first run, but he faded in his second leg, leaving Noel roaring with delight as the Austrian streaked through the finish line and it was clear the Frenchman had taken the gold.
"That was one of the most important races in my career. It's not often that you are able to win a medal in the Olympic Games," said 24-year-old Noel.
"It's one shot - one minute and 40 seconds every four years.
"I knew that I was in shape. My races in January were not good but training here was really good, I was fast.
"This is the best I can do. I have no words to describe it. Olympic champion ... wooh!"
Noel's gold completed a full house for the French men's ski team after veteran Johan Clarey bagged downhill silver and Mathieu Faivre took a bronze medal in the giant slalom.
The most technical race on the alpine ski programme had promised to be one of the most open contests in recent history and so it proved.
Of the six World Cup races held this season, there have been five different winners, including Noel, while 14 different racers have made the podium.
Switzerland's Daniel Yule, 13th fastest in the first leg, set the pace before Noel took the lead with just five racers remaining.
Germany's Linus Strasser and Switzerland's Loic Meillard failed to bother Noel, leaving the top trio from the first run to chance their arm.
First down was world champ Foss-Solevaag, the Norwegian paying the price for a mistake midway down the icy course.
His teammate Henrik Kristoffersen, a bronze medallist from the 2014 Sochi Games, pushed hard to increase his lead of 0.36sec, but he faded badly in the lower section.
All eyes then turned to Strolz, who was dropped from the national team last year and even worked as a traffic policeman to pay his way.
The Austrian, who emulated his father Hubert's feat at the 1988 Calgary Games in winning the combined gold, held his nerve out of the startgate.
But he faded in the bottom half of the demanding piste and Noel raised a ski aloft in a nod to victory.
Another winner on the World Cup circuit this season was Dave Ryding, but the Briton could not replicate the form that saw him win last month's prestigious Kitzbuehel slalom.
"I didn’t quite have the flow from half way down the first run, never got it back," the 35-year-old said after finishing 13th, 1.48sec off the pace, in his fourth Olympics.
"It’s disappointing obviously because I know I can do it. It’s really hard to put it out there against these guys and today I just didn’t quite have it.
"The margins are just too fine to have a bad day and expect to do well."
F.Moura--PC