Nordic Combined Locals Finish 6th in Final Olympic Event
02/20/2014 01:08PM ● By Grant JohnsonGetty Images/Lars Baron
ESTO-SADOK, Russia (Feb. 20) – Team USA left it all out on the course Thursday, finishing sixth in the team Gundersen large hill 4x5k competition, the final nordic combined event of the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games. The four-man team includes Steamboater and six-time Olympian Todd Lodwick and locals Taylor Fletcher, Bryan Fletcher and Billy Demong.
"The Olympic rings are something that, as an athlete throughout my career, you see in different ways. Lillehammer was the most amazing experience to that point and I really had a lot of fun. Going into Nagano I was way too serious and I didn’t really take in the Olympic Games for what it was all about. And so through the years and this being my sixth, I came here with the biggest smile. I came here with just taking it in, because I didn’t think I was going to be here," said Lodwick. "Sitting in an ambulance six weeks ago, thinking that these Olympic Games were complete done, I remember going up to each of my teammates’ rooms and saying to please don’t count me out. We’re all champions, and to be on this team and finish my career with this team...I have the most pride ever. Carrying the Olympic flag was almost a medal in itself."
The team jumped into eighth place on the large hill and then gained two spots during the cross country race, where Team Norway locked in the gold. The nordic combined finale is set to air on NBC’s Late Night Olympic coverage Thursday night at 1:00 a.m. EST and can be streamed in its entirety on NBCOlympics.com.