Deneriaz takes skiing gold ahead of favourites

FRANCE’S Antoine Deneriaz caused a sensation yesterday by storming to the Olympic Games men’s downhill gold medal ahead of the Austrian and American favourites in alpine skiing’s blue-riband event.

The silver medal went to Michael Walchhofer of Austria and the bronze to Bruno Kernen of Switzerland.

Deneriaz, who mirrored compatriot Jean-Luc Cretier's upset win at Nagano in 1998, underlined his threat by dominating training on Friday, meaning he was last to start from the elite field of 30 racers.