European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gold for Moe . Down Hiller nips local hero by John  Norway up to Many Moe of the United states whose wild Liv ing almost ruled out any Chance of a Ca reer in skiing before it had begun completed the transformation to dedicated world class athlete sunday by winning the olympic men s downhill. I was experimenting a Little wit things in my youth and Hung out with the wrong crowd. But i have Learnt fro that said Moe from Palmer Alaska who turns 24 on  conquered the piste in 1 minute 45.75 seconds to win by just four hundredths of a second from local hero Kjetil Andre Aamodt the narrowest winning margin in olympic downhill history. Canadian de pod Ivinsky took third place in 1 45.87 in temperatures that dipped to minus 4 degrees fahrenheit. It was the United states second olym Pic downhill Gold after Bill Johnson s win in Sarajevo 10 years  got the biggest Surprise when i came to the finish and saw i was leading. Som of the Good ath letes were already Down and i was pretty sure i would get a medal said  the age of 14, Moe was sus Pended from a regional team for repeated 0 _ Misbehaviour and Lilleh Airliner two years later hews put on probation by the . Team for similar acts of  Success was Moe s Maiden downhill win in the highest company but tie tosspot came As no Surprise to ski experts and his rivals. It was just a matter of time until he won. He has been very consistent said Aamodt. Moe whose career Best was a second place finish last season dethroned a Kitt As America s no. 1 Down Hiller with a third place dec. 29 in Dormio Italy. He gained another third place in super a in Val d Sere France and earned further recognition placing eight hat the world s toughest races in Kitzebue Hel Austria and Wengen Switzerland. I raced very Well on the top today american Tommy Moe goes airborne As he races to the downhill Gold medal sunday. Compared to the training. I also got Well the stars and stripes a More olympics on pages 28-29 through the Tough left curve in the mid Section and the jumps were no problem either said , Aamodt was Uncertain whether or not to be Happy with his Silver. "1 won a Silver which is a big achieve ment but was beaten by such a Small margin he said. However the reigning olympic super Gand world championship Winner in Sla Lom and giant slalom has the Chance Topick up a Gold in All other four olympic disciplines Over the next 15  from Start position no. 7, the 38,500-Strong crowd favorite saw mislead fall to the very next racer but still called the few moments of Joy one of the greatest experiences in my  Aamodt was held up at the Start forgive minutes after Canadian Gary Mullen crashed into the safety nets Halfway through the race. He escaped unharmed and Podivin Kumade up for his countryman s misfortune. Meanwhile Franz Heinzer had the Day s hard Luck Story As the Swiss 1991 world Champion s right binding broke when he pushed out of the Start Gate. It just broke this has never happened to me before he said. Defending Champ Patrick Ortlieb of Austria was just outside the medals in fourth place in 1 46.01, but the Best the Swiss could manage was Daniel Mahrer s lowly 14th in 1 46.55. Norway s Koss skates to record 5/000 Victory monday s schedule Central european time luge men s singles third and fourth final runs 10 . Cross country men s 30-Kilometer freestyle 10 30 . Alpine men s combined downhill 11 . Speed skating men s 500-Rnetcr final 2 . Hockey Germany is. Norway 3 . Czech Republic is. Austria 5 30 . Russia is. Fin land 8 . An to update 1-3 . Monday 2-5 . Tuesday Hamar Norway up Johann Olav Koss shattered his own world record and brought Host Norway its first Gold medal of the Winter olympics sunday winning the men s space skating 5,000 meters and Lead ing a 1-2 norwegian finish in the event. Koss skating before the norwegian Royal family and a raucous Home crowd of 10,600 at the Hamar Viking ship Hall clocked a phenomenal time of 6 min utes 34.96 seconds to capture the Gold. Norway s Kjell store lid was a Surprise second in6 42.68 and european Champion Rintje Ritsma of hol land was third in 6 43.94. Despite Ritsma s medal the dutch were a major Dis appointment. Falko Zandstra the current world cup Points Leader finished fourth and 1992 olympic Cham Pion Bart Veldkamp was fifth. For Koss who set the previous world record of6 35.53 at a world cup meet in december on the same track it marked the fifth time he has lowered the 5,000world record since 1991. Incredibly Koss bettered the previous olympic re Cord set in 1988 by Sweden s Tomas Gustafson 6 44.63 by nearly 10 seconds. To punctuate Koss dominance in the event he is the Only skater in history to cover 5,000 meters in less than 6 39. Koss the defending olympic Champion at 1,500 me ters and favorite to win the 10,000 at these games had been suffering from an inflamed knee last month an Many feared he May have overstrained for the olympics. But Koss 25, did t disappoint his countrymen who wildly cheered him from the moment he stepped on the ice for warmups. The 1-2 norwegian finish continued the country dominance of the 5,000. Norway has now taken olym Pic Gold seven times and captured Gold and Silver in the same year three times 1948,1964 and 1994. 0"246850"000504