Another Winter Olympic Games, more history made by Ester Ledecká.
The 26-year-old retained her women’s snowboarding parallel giant slalom title in Beijing on Tuesday to become only the second Czech woman to win three Winter Olympic golds.
Her first title came four years ago in Pyeongchang alongside a gold in the alpine skiing Super-G event, Ledecká receiving world acclaim as the first woman in Winter Olympic history – and the first athlete in 90 years – to win gold medals in two different sports at the same Games.
Alongside speed skater Martina Sáblíková, she is now the most decorated Olympian in Czech history.
Daniela Ulbing of Austria won silver after falling during her final run, with Slovenia’s Gloria Kotnik taking bronze to complete the podium.
“It was fun, I was trying to be consistent and just staying in my line with what I was doing the whole day,” Ledecká said.
“I made a good job, I’m very proud of my team, so thank you very much to them, especially Justin [Reiter], my American coach.
“They made an amazing job and I’m happy that I was able to finish like that.”
Attention will now turn to Friday’s Super-G race and whether Ledecká can repeat her stunning double act feat from South Korea four years ago, wherein she shocked overwhelming Austrian favorite Anna Veith to win the ski event by just 0.01 seconds.
‘I was not celebrating at all’
Due to compete in the women’s downhill skiing next week, Ledecká could yet leave with three Olympic golds, though she will have to wait for today’s triumph to sink in first.
Despite Ulbing’s tumble, there was a peculiar lack of initial celebration from Ledecká following the completion of her race, with the Czech revealing that she had been expecting another run.
“I was so concentrated until the end that I didn’t even know if we had to go up one more time or not,” Ledecká said.
“I was not celebrating it at all, it’s still not sunken in. I’m super happy, but in my head, I’m just still a little bit in the race.”
Ulbing impressed on her Olympic debut, and despite not finishing the final race, the 23-year-old had no regrets about pursuing a high-risk strategy in an attempt to unseat the defending champion.
“I had to risk it all to try to beat Ester,” Ulbing said.
“That’s what I did and mistakes happen, but I’m pretty happy I ended up second. I’m really happy, it’s amazing. I don’t know what to say more, I’m just happy.”
Karl claims gold at last
Ulbing’s Austrian compatriot Benjamin Karl won gold after a thrilling final race in the men’s event, ending his long-running search for an Olympic title.
The 36-year-old won silver in Vancouver in 2010 and a bronze eight years later in Pyeongchang but defeated Slovenia’s Tim Mastnak in the Beijing final to finally add Olympic gold to his five world championship titles in the same discipline.
“I can’t describe with words, I’m just happy and satisfied,” said Karl of his victory. “I’ll enjoy it during the rest of the day.”
The Russian Olympic Committee’s Victor Wild claimed bronze – his third Olympic medal after two golds at Sochi 2014.
CNN’s Aleks Klosok contributed to this report