February 20, 2010 (Whistler, BC) – When Mr. Yoshiro Ito, Vice President of the FIS Council

, presented the flowers to the winners of the Large Hill ski jumping competition on Saturday, the three athletes on the podium were the same as one week ago when the Olympic Normal Hill champions were crowned: Simon Ammann from Switzerland was the winner again; Poland’s Adam Malysz was the silver medalist; and Gregor Schlierenzauer, Austria, placed third for the bronze.

But the media buzz was less about the podium and the preparation of the athletes for the upcoming Team

Jumping event this coming Monday, and more about Ammann’s binding system – cleared by FIS on Friday. Still today’s competition was the focus for almost 7,000 spectators under sunny clear blue skies as the world’s best ski jumpers took to the large hill in search of Olympic dreams.

“What can I say? I was so nervous up there. This is all very nerve-wracking. I always have this magical force to jump far here and that is amazing. That’s really amazing,” Ammann said at the end of competition. The 28-year-old Swiss was already in the lead after the first round, and with a 6.6 point margin he already had a hand on the gold medal. In third spot was Matti Hautamaeki from Finland, fourth to seventh were the Austrians Andreas Kofler, Gregor Schlierenzauer, Wolfgang Loitzl and the 2006 Olympic Champion Thomas Morgenstern.

“It ain’t over til it’s over,”  Rocky Balboa would say, but on this sunny day in Whistler, the quest for gold seemed decided after the first round. Only a very bad jump or a fall, could deliver first place to somebody else. Ammann’s jump in the final round was solid for the win, but Hautamaeki who landed a 104m jump was relegated from third to 26^th place! (the 2002 Large Hill competition in Salt Lake ended with Ammann in front of Malysz and Hautamaeki!)

Ammann, followed up his 144m jump in the first round with a 138m landing in the final – everyone in the arena knew this was the golden jump. Overall, the Swiss athlete achieved 283.6 points. “He jumps unbelievable,” said Malysz, who jumped 137 and 133.5m for overall 269.4 points said. “Simon is really amazing,” added Gregor Schlierenzauer (with jumps of 130.5 and 136m for 262.2 points).

But Malysz was happy with his second silver medal at these Games. “It is like a dream, I am very, very satisfied. I trained so hard all summer; these Winter Olympics were my goal. This is my best Olympics ever.” Schlierenzauer, who is competing at his first Olympics, was satisfied with his podium spot and did not regret losing the gold adding, “Winning bronze is very cool, very good. I’m happy. I really fought hard for this medal. This is a dream and I’m looking forward to Monday’s Team competition. Hopefully I can win anothermedal there.”

As expected Ammann was the focus of attention by the whole ski jumping scene. The superstar of this sport, who also won two Olympic individual gold medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, is now the first ski jumper in history to win four individual Olympic gold medals. With his victory today, Ammann eclipsed the number of individual first places held by Finland’s great Matti Nykaenen, who won in 1984 one and in 1988 two individual Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1988 (Nykaenen also won an Olympic gold medal in the 1988 team event.)

No North American jumpers advanced through the qualifications to the final round. The USA’s Peter Frenette (USA/114.5 m) lead the North Americans placing 32nd just missing the mark to advance; Nicholas Alexander (USA) finished in 40^th after jumping 109m followed by Stefan Read (CAN) in 46th with 104.5m.

Results (brief)

1. Simon Ammann (Switzerland) 283.6
2. Adam Malysz (Poland) 269.4
3. Gregor Schlierenzauer (Austria) 262.2
4. Andreas Kofler (Austria) 261.2
5. Thomas Morgenstern (Austria) 246.

32. Peter Frenette (USA, Saranac Lake, NY) 90.6
40. Nick Alexander (USA, Lebanon, NH) 79.2
DNQ Anders Johnson (USA, Park City, UT)