Sport

Jan Rossiter happy with showing in gruelling cross-country

Crash on disastrous second run ended skeleton racer Seán Greenwood’s chances

Ireland’s Jan Rossiter in action during the men’s 15km cross-country at the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. Photograph: Ian McNicol/Inpho
Fri Feb 14 2014 - 17:08

Ireland's Jan Rossiter finished 82nd in the men's 15km cross-country in Sochi this morning but declared himself happy with his performance in arguably the most gruelling event of the whole Winter Olympics.

Switzerland's Dario Cologna claimed gold, his second of the Games after his success in the 15km skiathlon.

Cologna came home in time of 38 minutes 29.7 seconds to beat the Sweden's Johan Olsson by 28.5 seconds, with another Swedish skier, Daniel Richardsson taking bronze.

Rossiter went off towards the end of the staggered starter, coming home 10 minutes and 14 seconds behind Cologna.

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“I am really happy with that. I improved five places on where I started so I have to be happy,” said the 26-year-old Canadian-based athlete. “The course was tough because the hot weather has melted the snow at the bottom of the hills which slows you down going uphill. But it wa s good.”

Cologna dominated a race again held in very warm conditions at the Laura Biathlon and Cross-Country Complex.

“It’s amazing. I couldn’t believe the first gold medal after being injured and now the second. It was the perfect race,” Cologna told reporters.

“I knew it would be hard and I was prepared for it. The first gold was emotional after coming back from injury, the second is unbelievable.”

A gracious Cologna waited at the finish to greet Peru's Roberto Carcelen, who crossed the line almost 28 minutes off the pace waving his country's flag as he was roared on by the crowd.

Temperatures reached 14 degrees Celsius and many skiers again wore short sleeves, with at least one of them wearing shorts on snow that resembled cottage cheese on some parts of the course.

Meanwhile, a disastrous second run ended skeleton racer Seán Greenwood’s chances. He goes in to Saturday’s third run in 27th and last place, with only the top 20 competing in the fourth medal heat.

Greenwood’s first run of 57.99 placed him in 21st position, but he went high on a turn on his second run and briefly came off only to right himself at high speed.

The damage was done at that stage and he eventually finished in a time of 1:05.11 for a total of 2:03.10. That left him nearly six seconds behind Spain’s Ander Mirambell in 26th spot, with Russia’s Alexander Tretiakov leading after a combined two-run time of 1:51.99.