Day 2 Winter Olympics: Today at the Games

Amy Williams is the queen of speed. Oh, and he is over. The United

States have beaten the soviet union. She has done it! That is it. The

Winter Olympics. That is beautiful, very nice. What is it? Oh, my

goodness! The exhilarating excitement of

snowboard slopestyle. More on that soon. Welcome back to the Olympic

Park where it is coming up to half past 11 at night. The place is

empty, but we have lots in the programme because today's gold

medals in men's downhill, in skiathlon, in ski jumping, in

slopestyle, and we are going to round it all up for you now. Here is

what is coming up. It is the newest sport to the Olympics and is taking

the place by storm. Today the women got their turn to snowboard

slopestyle. It may be old and traditional, but it is still

breathtaking. The men's downhill saw them clocking up speeds of about 80

miles an hour. And we will see the first gold is decided at the Sliding

Center as the men's luge lunged towards its conclusion. It was all

happening at the extreme Park today and the man with the hottest ticket

in town was Matthew Pinsent. After the culmination of the men's

slopestyle event yesterday with two British finalists, Team GB has

double interest today, Aimee Fuller and Jenny Jones take on the world

and this fearsome chorus. Oh, beautiful. Aimee Fuller went big but

just came up short. What a start to her career. It is a great

experience, it is the first time I have competed in the Olympics, so a

building block for the next one. Jenny Jones showed her experience to

get through to the final, but she did not know her parents were

marching. She is doing really well and we know she has got a lot in

her. So the veteran Jenny Jones into the Olympic final. Can she unleash

something to open the Team GB account? Nice and solid. Absolutely

massive. Oh, she almost goes down. It is like the wacky races. After

all the slip ups it was time to get serious for the final runs. Aimee

Fuller raced up to join them in the commentary box.

I cannot look, somebody else commentate. Jenny's experience will

come to the fore. She has been in high-pressure situations. Nice and

solid on the first rail. A beautiful run on the down rail. Talk about

confidence as well. Doing little tricks. Coming in switch to the

first grant dashed jumper. Looking very solid for Jenny Jones. Is she

going for the front nine? She went for the Severn. Solid, solid. That

run was laid down very cleanly. Go on, Jones. Look at the smile on her

face. I am so happy to see how put that down. That rail W. Everything

was really clean. She is bearing the judges to mark her down. Check on

the ground. An absolute machine. Our girl, Jones, holding it down. It was

such a good run. She has done that. Look at the Brits. Put the entire UK

out of their misery, judges. Jenny Jones! Oh, my God! Right now, Jenny

Jones is in gold medal position. She has just got 87. Let's be realistic

about this, there are a lot of women here who are a serious threat to

that gold medal position. This is one of them. . Go big. Oh, my

goodness. She did not even realise she did that. I need to chill out a

bit. This is insane. Jenny Jones may have only occupied the gold medal

slot for one run. There are so many riders who are looking to land big

runs. She has come up with an absolute banger. 87, it is only good

enough for silver. Jenny Jones still has a gold medal position.

Enni Rukajarvi. A little bit of a wobble on the way in. Coming in

switch to the last kick. This is a very big run. That was spectacular.

That was spectacular. You have got to say that it's first place. She is

certainly capable of it. Looking to better Jenny Jones. Enni Rukajarvi

moves into the gold medal position. Jenny Jones is in silver. This girl

has a lot of work to do. She is going switch now. That is unreal, it

is so technical. It is brilliant. It is a trademark of her right. Oh, she

sat down. She did the same as she did in her first run. Enni Rukajarvi

and Jenny Jones make it through to another sudden death run. It is not

going to be a medal. Nerves are running very high here. This is a

huge moment in Jamie Anderson's career. A lot of speed needed to

clear this and then it is simply straight. That is massive. It all

comes down to this. To be fair that was a belter of a run. An emphatic

scorer from the judges. It takes Jamie Anderson into gold and Enni

Rukajarvi is bumped down into second. Right now Jenny Jones sits

in the bronze medal position. The Austrian. A nice rail section. She

is so fluid through these jumps. A cab under flip. She is keeping it

safe. Oh, she is down. Are we supposed to do that? Probably not.

You are a Briton's first Olympic medallist on snow. Oh, my God, oh,

my God. It feels amazing, I cannot believe it. What would you say to

your mum and dad? I know they are here somewhere, so I am going to

find them. Not somewhere, we found them for you.

You did it. You never ever disappointed us. Are you laughing at

my mum and dad? It is brilliant. My mum is very northern. A wonderful

moment. Here is the bronze medal and the

woman holding it, Jenny Jones. I have not seen a medal, it is

amazing. It is very heavy and it is around my neck. Your parents'

reaction sums up what everybody feels and how hard you work. I held

back the tears until they popped up. Are you superstitious about them

watching you? Ever since I was a little girl I never wanted to see

them, even in gymnastics. I wanted to be there, but I did not want to

see them. Until afterwards. We watched the medal ceremony and your

parents were watching. What was that moment like? Unbelievable and it

really hit home when the British flag came out. I was like, oh, my

goodness, this is it and I have done it for Great Britain. All the X

Games that you have done before and you have been successful, was this

different? It is completely different and it was that feeling of

doing something for your country. It seems weird to say it, but I am very

proud. You thank your supporters at home and you have got your

supporters here as well. Sam up what this moment is and how much of an

achievement it is. I got in touch with a lot of the snowboard

community and there were tears all around. Everyone knows how hard she

has worked for this and everybody knows how good she is. At the risk

of repeating myself these games have come so late for her discipline but

to have worked so hard and pushed it so hard and to have taken a medal at

this stage is phenomenal. You have laid the foundation for those to

come in the future. She calls you Jones. How excited are you? I still

cannot believe it, I am lost for words. I am so proud of her and it

is so good for snow sports in the UK. It is unbelievable. Go on, the

Jones. Slopestyle in its first Olympic games just bloomed, it

arrived. It is brilliant and we can train in the UK. We can do it on dry

slopes and in indoor centres. I have to say these two in the commentary,

there were tears and screaming, it was all over the place, but it was

absolutely brilliant. It was wild to be a part of that. Let's look at a

few of the moments that won you the bronze medal. When you got the

technical staff at the top, did you know it was going to be good? Know

because you have to look at one feature at a time and I had to make

it feel and look as nice as possible because that was the difference it

was taking. I grabbed as long as I could. I landed with no hands down

and that was just enough to keep me there. Do you know the tricks you

are going to do before you start, or do you change things depending on

how you meet the kicker? No, I decide at the very top, but at the

very top there was a big deliberation between what run I

should do with my coach, but we made the right decision. For everyone

watching at home you have been in this sport for over ten years and

you have an Olympic medal, what would you say to people who are not

growing up in mountains, but you have done it on a dry slope in

Bristol? I have and it is therefore you're taking. There are so many dry

slopes out there, so have a crack at it. Can you sum up how much this

means? I does do not want to lose it, but I feel very proud right now

and it is time to celebrate. We are very proud of you and you have not

lost it. We hope you are not the last medallist of the games. That

was just a short ride from the men's downhill where I was off to early

this morning. The sun is not quite up, I am

heading up to those mountains with a cup of tea in my hand for the blue

ribbon event of the Winter Olympics, the men's downhill and it has been

won by some of the great names of winter sports, Franz,, Bermondsey

Brugge. But if you look through the history books, you will also find

the times when the hot favourites have faulted. Which means that we

have got some long shot champions as well, and even the defending

champion. There is the cause and it is tough.

How are the skiers themselves reacting to it? It is a tough

course. Some of them were like it, I think it is a good, real test. Apart

from Bode Miller, who are the other big names we need to consider,

Cabaye? Aksel Lund Svindal, he has been on the podium in big races as

well so I would say him and Bode Miller are certainly the favourites.

And we have got the defending champion in there, but different

conditions today, the card has come over which makes the light flat, how

does that affect them -- the cloud has come over. It will make it

tougher when the light is like that. Graham will head to the commentator

box with Matt Chilton. COMMENTATOR: It is time for the

downhill skier to do battle with this mighty Russian bear of a

mountain. Which is ready to show its claws.

The first of the Swiss, he goes over the Bears brow and holds onto the

landing. He will ski into gold medal position, that is more like it.

Travis can, the young American is having a solid downhill run. And he

has picked up. The Norwegian skier starts, he is

getting better all the time, Jack Tom Youngs route. -- took three

macro. But here's my, this means more to the Austrian -- Matthias

Mayer. I would say he has got the best chance for Austria. I have said

that perhaps Matthias Mayer might get on the podium here today. He is

not too far away. Matthias Mayer goes to work in the

middle part of the course. The best we have seen anyone do that

compression left-hand turn after the Traverse. A bit of a hit in

transition and that is where your skis are right. He is picking up

now. There is not much in it, Matthias

Mayer is looking solid. He needs to tuck in more with his head and

shoulders. He tucks in for the line and takes it by one tenth of a

second, the new leader in the Olympic downhill, the Austrian,

Matthias Mayer. CLARE BALDING: So Matthias Mayer is

in the lead at the moment but now it is time for the biggest name in this

sport, the Americans behind me going mad for Bode Miller at the age of

36. This will be his last Olympic Games. It is Miller Time.

COMMENTATOR: He is absolutely flying. Through the Russian

Trampoline, a genuine white knuckle ride there as he had his fist down

on the snow. Cutting across the ice. He smashes that gate. Miller is

destroying the course on his way down but he has two hundredths of a

second behind, he seems to have lost a bit of speed as he flies over the

Bears brow. He has got work to do on the bottom part of the course. As

the damage being done? He went through that control gate, he set up

and took too tight a line. Going over with a mule kick, a freestyle

move going over the late job. Half a second behind, Bode Miller will be

absolutely gutted if he fails to get in amongst the medals here and his

final downhill. Matthias Mayer... It is too much for Bode Miller.

His distraught, he has blown it. It is times like this I feel I have

underdone the make-up but they are here in support of Aksel Lund

Svindal, because he will be next on course.

He was narrowly denied four years ago by them two. Could this be his

Olympic year? COMMENTATOR: Away he goes, the best

downhill skier of the season. No Norwegian has ever won the men's

Olympic downhill title. And it has been a while since a favourite has

won. A massive jump there. Big off the

Russian Trampoline. He has to nail this turn, get that hip in. That is

better. Maybe not quite as good as Matthias Mayer.

This split is key, is Svindal in touch? You might just have lost his

chance to win gold. Maybe an outside chance of a minor medal.

Massive flight from Svindal and he has closed the gap ever so slightly

down to 0.32 seconds. He has found some extra get up and go and off the

final jump. Svindal is third and into bronze medal position.

The Austrians celebrate because it means Matthias Mayer is still in

pole position. Ready to race for Italy, never 20,

tall, slim, fast, powerful, courageous. -- number 20.

Christof Innerhofer has had the best start and is more than half a second

quicker than intermediate number one. That was beautiful skiing on

the top part of the course. Took so much risk.

Christof Innerhofer, number 20, putting pressure on Matthias

Mayer's hold on the gold medal. I think he will do this, I really do.

He's a great Super-G skier, Super-G world champion, really cool, calm

and relaxed. Christof Innerhofer is now just slightly on the wrong

side, 100 of a second behind, it could change on the final section.

He skis into break Austrian hearts... He has got second and

silver, Matthias Mayer holds onto gold. It was the fact he ran

slightly hard on the dear jump. He is a part-time underwear model,

Christof Innerhofer. Matthias Mayer still leads grit off

in the huff for Italy. Still a couple who could make a difference.

And this is Erik Guay. And now Didier Defago skis in defence of his

other big downhill crown. A cracking start by Didier Defago. His chance

of a medal as surely slipped away now. Matthias Mayer has the gold

medal for Austria. That morning I was waking up and I knew I could be

the fastest on this hill because my training runs in the last days have

been pretty good. I only wanted to ski down here. My dream was to ski

down here so for me it is not important, my wish is coming true,

what was to get a medal. It is amazing because once again, the

downhill provides a major shock, gold has gone to Austria, Matthias

Mayer whose father was a silver medallist back in 1988 in Calgary.

Matthias Mayer at the listed on a World Cup downhill podium but today

he is the lipid champion. -- he is the Olympic champion.

Graham Bell has been watching the action back with me here and you

were saying that Chris and a half will kick himself. He really will.

After he back, he said he was happy to be on the podium but he was so

good on the top and he was even been through the middle section but that

little roller after Bear's Brow, he opened up and then didn't carry the

same speed off the Lake Job. At that speed, 30 metres per second, that is

a ski length, all less than that. Austria easily the most excess

formation in terms of Olympic downhills, and Matthias Mayer not

the man you would have picked at Christmas time. No, he is a new kid

on the block. Austria going into these Games were depleted because

they had lost Harness Reich held. He had a back injury with a operation

and they were going in with nothing. We have got the women's super

combined tomorrow, Chemmy Alcott will ski the downhill part of that.

Guess, just for training, because she missed out on training today.

She is building up for the downhill basically which is on Wednesday. She

does not want to... She wants to just pace herself. Chemmy Alcott

back from having broken her leg above the fourth time, I think she

has broken 45 bones in her body, just an amazing story that she is

here at all. We will take a check on the men's luge in which Felix Lodz

of Germany is the defending champ in -- Felix Loch. Gold was decided

today. COMMENTATOR: This is where it gets

serious. Armin Zorba, about to make history here. Can he get a medal for

the sixth time? What on earth does he try this time? Felix Loch for

history. Here we go. Armin Zoggeler is away. He has to get close to his

previous best time of 4.677 and that is good.

Felix Loch, can he get gold for the second time? Only one man knows how

fast he has got to go, he is ahead, surely it will be gold number two.

He has gone to the best part of half a second and that is the start that

Felix Loch can give you. Armin Zoggeler has got a medal, you see

him there, absolutely superb. , amazing. Simply amazing This is

fast. Demchenko is in first place. Will it be the plan to stay there?

He will have to take a couple of huge hits here to get this. Felix

Loch is flying here. Felix Loch coming through towards

the finish, absolutely flying, magnificent. He is on his second

goal, he is only 24 years old. That is fantastic, we have waited and

waited for somebody to come on the scene who can win two in a row,

maybe go three or four. That was fantastic.

That was what happened at the luge, and let's see what happened at the

other headline-makers. In speed skating, the women's 3000

metres, Irene first of the Netherlands and her third lipid

goals as the Dutch continued to dominate the speed skating -- Irene

Wust. Teen sensation 15-year-old Yulia

Lipnitskaya help Russia claim their first gold in the team figure

skating. Dario Cologna gave Switzerland their

first medal of these games with gold in the men's skiathlon.

And Anastasia could mean a defended her biathlon sprint title, she was

born and raised in Russia but representing Slovakia -- Anastasia

could mean a stop some let's have a look at the medals table as it now

stands. The Russian Federation with their

first gold bubble going to joint fourth, and Great Britain in 16th

place, with one bronze medal but honestly, I can't remember when the

Winter Olympics, we got our medal haul off at such an early stage. And

there could be more to come. The curling starts tomorrow. For the

men, it is Great Britain versus Russia first thing in the morning

and then the women, Eve Muirhead against Sweden is at 10am your time.

Let's look at our Winter wonders on day two.

Funding cuts to Japanese ice hockey Association begin to take their

toll. Inevitable confusion as new sport

makes Olympic debut, all the others decided to go downhill.

and it is going fantastically well at the aerials practice they or at

least it was. The action continues thick and fast

here but Britain have every good reason to celebrate and they still

are. Jenny Jones cannot believe it, she has a bronze medal around her

neck and she does not intend to take it off any time soon. She has

collected Great Britain's 23rd Olympic medal of any colour in the

Winter Olympic history that goes back to 1924, the first for Team GB

of these Games. We raise a glass to her and say goodbye to you from

Sochi, John as again first thing tomorrow, goodbye. -- we join you

again first thing tomorrow.