Janica Kostelic celebrated a wonderful victory in today's women's combined as she became Croatia's first ever gold medal winner in a Winter Olympic event. After dominating the slalom and fighting with all her heart in the downhill, the 2001 Overall World Cup Champion beat by 1,49 seconds Austria's Renate Goetschl, the 1997 combined champion and the 2000 Overall World Cup winner.

Germany's Martina Ertl, the reigning combined World Champion from St Anton, came in 3rd at 1,88 seconds, capturing Germany's first medal in the Alpine competitions of these Games.

Switzerland's Marlies Oester, 4th missed her first medal by more than a second and a half while Michaela Dorfmeister, the downhill World Champion, was 5th at 3,57 seconds.

Two favorites didn't make it through the slalom - Austria's Christine Sponring, 2nd at St Anton and USA's Caroline Lalive, 2nd in past a World Cup combined.

Great emotion for Janica

Kostelic had a hard time to understand that she finally won her first gold medal in a major event, a year after her disappointing World Championships at St Anton. This time, she nailed three perfect runs down the "Wildflower" course, first in slalom then in the downhill.

Precise and relaxed, she won the slalom with a solid margin over Ertl and Goetschl - 1,10 and 2,22 seconds - which gave her great momentum before the speed race.

Then she achieved quite an amazing performance during the fast downhill, losing only 73/100 of a second on Goetschl in that last leg after taking many more risks than she thought.

"I was so afraid because I was skiing so fast, yet I kept pushing myself and searching for more speed - go for it I told myself" she said after the race.

"I was very tired after the slaloms runs and my legs were shaky but I didn't let the fatigue reach my brain. I was ready for another strong race".

"I jumped so high and so fast too - at one point, I was even thinking about my crash at St Moritz and I was hoping to make it safe until the finish area. When I ended my race, I first didn't dare to look at the board! Then I had a glance at my time - I saw minus 1,49 and then I realized that I won it! I couldn't believe it! It was incredible - my brain had a hard time to understand what was happening. I have the impression I'm moving is sort of a fog! I believe I'll need a long sleep to have a clear mind again".

"A dream came for sure true today - I really wanted to win an Olympic medal here. I was not so disappointed by my results at St Anton because there are many more World Championships ahead of us, but there are only a few possibilities to win an Olympic medal in a skier's career".

Looking for more fun

"Now I can relax and have fun in the next races. I wish to have another good result in the Super-G and then we'll see what's up for the slalom. I heard that the Deer Valley slope is quite steep and difficult - this is good for me. But I don't put any pressure on me, I just want to enjoy these Olympics now".

Afterwards, Janica also confirmed that she's feeling pains all over her body - expect at her right arm and in her hair!

She was very excited by the idea to meet again her mother and her brother Ivica during the medal ceremony. "I have not spoken to Ivica for a week but I was thinking a lot about him these days, that's why I wrote his name on my nails" she said. " He will for sure be quite happy too. It will give him great confidence for the slalom. I don't need to give him any advice, he is smart enough to figure it out by himself".

Goetschl and Ertl were happy too

Renate Goetschl, the winner of the past two World Cup combineds at Saalbach and Are, was not upset at all to miss her first Olympic title by over a second.

"Janica had a great day and she deserves her victory" Renate said. "She was very determined during the whole day and quite impressive in the downhill" admitted the Austrian. "I made some mistakes in the slalom this morning. It's nice to win another medal - I was aiming for one coming here and I already have won two. This gives me a great moral for the Super-G".

At the Press Conference, Martina Ertl explained how pleased she was by her bronze medal after her bad season and the controversy which surrounded her absence in the downhill. "I came back from nowhere and this medal is worth the golden one I clinched last year at St Anton after going through such a hard time in the last month" she said. "I took a two-week break after the races at Berchtesgaden and trained by myself for a while. I also made some adjustment at my equipment and I was happy to receive great support from a mental trainer. He helped me a lot to find back my focus and my confidence. I feel much better now and ready for more".

After a day off on Friday, the men will compete in a Super-G at Snowbasin on Saturday followed by the women's Super-G on Sunday. Then the competitions will move to Park City and Deer Valley for the technical events.