WINTER OLYMPICS ROUNDUP: Brazilian skier’s gold is a South American first

Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen turned in a powerful final run to win the Olympic giant slalom Saturday and earn South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

LUCAS Pinheiro Braathen is overcome by emotion as the Brazilian celebrates a win in the giant slalom.

With snow falling and fog settling in, the 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen _re-mained cool and relaxed as he navigated his way through the technical Stelvio course. After seeing his place — No. 1—he fell to the snow before starting to scream.

He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds. He beat Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, the defending Olympic champion, by 0.58 seconds. Oder-matt’s teammate, Loic Meil-lard, earned bronze.

Pinheiro Braathen is the fun-loving, samba-dancing skier who's ready to get this party started. On the back of his helmet, he has in big letters “Vamos Dancar” — “Let's Dance.”

Fittingly enough, it’s Carnival season, too, a festival of parades, masquerades and partying made famous in places such as Brazil.

There's plenty to celebrate because, “Brazil is an Olympic champion in Alpine skiing,” he said.

Slovenia's Preve rallies to gold

Domen Prevc of Slovenia proved his formidable ski jumping prowess in the rain Saturday, coming from behind to capture the gold medal on the men's large hill in Predazzo, Italy.

Prevc was in second place going into the final round.

and landed a whopping 464foot jump the biggest of to move ahead of the night Japan's Ren Nikaido, who won silver, and Kacper Tomasiak of Poland, who won bronze.

Austria's Flock ends skeleton drought

This time, Janine Flock, 36, finished the job. And a gold medal finally sways from her neck.