Di Centa’s dream finale for Italians

GIORGIO DI CENTA ensured a dream finale to the Turin Winter Games for the host nation by claiming an unexpected gold medal in the men’s 50km cross-country skiing at Pragelato.

Di Centa held off Russian Evgeni Dementiev by a mere 0.8 seconds to send the home supporters wild after the disappointment of Giorgio Rocca’s early slalom exit yesterday.

Victory was all the sweeter for di Centa, because his medal ceremony had already been scheduled to take place as part of the closing ceremony at the Olympic Stadium tonight.

“I was not the favourite today. But it is a massive emotion for me, and I cannot find the words to describe it,” he said.

“Usually someone overtakes me. But today I did not hear any ski noise, and the finish line got closer and closer. I could not believe it.”

Di Centa won a final fight for gold which took place in the stadium section in front of a roaring crowd, with Austrian Mikhail Botwinov edged into the bronze medal position in a photo-finish.

Thirty-three-year-old Di Centa had never previously won an individual event in the World Cup. But it was his second gold of the Games following his success in the men’s 4x10km relay.

Sweden claimed the final gold of the Games with a 3-2 victory over neighbours Finland in the men’s ice hockey final.

Nicklas Lidstrom’s goal at 0.10 of the third period saw off the Finns, who were playing in their first men’s final and hoping to win their first gold of the Games.

Despite a rousing finale, Swedish net-minder Henrik Lundqvist pulled off a series of fine saves - including a spectacular stop to deny Niklas Hagman an equaliser.