Falla of Norway wins women´s cross-country sprint

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia: Maiken Caspersen Falla led a Norwegian double to take gold in the women´s cross-country freestyle sprint at the Sochi Games on Tuesday.

Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg narrowly beat Vesna Fabjan of Slovenia in a photo finish for the silver, giving Norway its first 1-2 finish in a women´s cross-country event at the Olympics.

Falla´s gold was her first Olympic medal, and Norway´s 100th in the sport. It was a milestone achieved despite Bjoergen, the defending champion and four-time gold medalist, getting knocked out in the semifinals after falling on the final straight.

Fabjan took bronze, while Norway´s Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen — whose brother died on the eve of the games — was fourth.

American skier Kikkan Randall´s attempt to become the first American woman to win an Olympic cross-country skiing medal fell well short, as she finished fourth of six skiers in a tough quarterfinal heat that featured both Bjoergen and German sprint specialist Denise Herrmann.

Falla finished 20th in the sprint in Vancouver in her only previous Olympic start, but has two World Cup victories and looked to be the strongest skier throughout the day. She had the fastest time in qualifying and then won both her quarterfinal and semifinal heats.

Falla was up front for most of the final and her lead never looked threatened on the final sprint. The race for second was much closer, with Oestberg overtaking Fabjan just before the finish line.

Bjoergen was far back in her semifinal entering the final straight and then fell as she tried to move up through the field. She still smiled when she crossed the line, waving at the crowd, and has four more chances for gold at these Olympics. (AP)