Snowboarder Kaitlyn Farrington of Bellevue, Idaho triumphed in the women's halfpipe Wednesday while supporters in her home-state were watching. Farrington delivered two daredevil runs to beat a field of better known and more experienced competitors.
Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation director Rob Clayton watched the final with a crowd in the team training room where Farrington got her start. Clayton says the room was electric. "The room was ecstatic and almost in shock and disbelief as the final unfolded," he says.
Farrington is the first Olympic medalist from Sun Valley since Picabo Street brought home gold in alpine skiing from Nagano in 1998. Farrington will receive her gold medal in a ceremony by the Black Sea on Thursday.
Defending champion Torah Bright of Australia took silver and fellow American Kelly Clark won the bronze.
Farrington's winning run will air Wednesday night on NBC during their primetime broadcast, which starts at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time.
Copyright 2014 Northwest News Network