Skeleton, Men

Germany took the top two positions in the men’s skeleton at the National Sliding Centre, but it was the bronze medallist who stole the limelight.

Germany’s Christopher Grotheer lived up to his billing as champion at the last two world championships to take gold in a combined time of 4:01.01 while teammate Axel Jungk won silver in 4:01.67.

China, a relative novice in the sport compared to sliding powerhouse Germany, took bronze. Yan Wengang’s time of 4:01.77 meant he took the bronze medal ahead of a field that contained multiple Olympic medallists and world champions. The bronze was China’s first medal in any sliding sport, and only the second time that a man from outside Europe or North America won an Olympic skeleton medal.

Teammate Yin Zheng also impressed with a fifth-place finish, and ended the Games as the start record holder on the Yanqing track. Six-time world champion Martins Dukurs, who was chasing an elusive Olympic gold, finished a disappointing seventh.

Grotheer agreed that China was an up-and-coming force in skeleton, with the women also having posted creditable results after two runs. Zhao Dan was fourth going into Heat 3. Germany, which was so strong in the sliding sports of bobsleigh and luge, finally won its first medal in men’s skeleton when Christopher Grotheer and Axel Jungk finished 1-2 for gold and silver.