Just days after an emotional interview where he admitted to “running out of chances,“ 40-year-old snowboarder Nick Baumgartner has his first Olympic medal—and it just happens to be gold.
After failing to medal in the men's event Thursday, Baumgartner partnered with Lindsey Jacobellis on Saturday to win the Olympic debut of mixed team snowboard cross in a thrilling race to the finish against Italy.
Baumgartner sailed through his half of the final to finish first, but the hardest part had yet to come. The Michigan native, who said he works construction in the offseason, had to wait at the bottom of the hill to see if the lead he gave Jacobellis was enough for gold.
What ensued was a suspense-filled wait followed by a heartwarming celebration just two days after declaring, “I ain't stopping on this. I gotta do something better to end with.”
On Thursday, it looked as though Baumgartner was going to go his fourth Olympics without medaling. Immediately after the men's quarterfinals, Baumgartner looked distraught as he fought back tears on national television.
“I don't think people know how much you put into this,” Baumgartner told the NBC broadcast. “I put so much time and effort and then one little mistake and it's gone.
“I'm 40 years old, I'm running out of chances. I got so much support back home and I feel like I let them down. This one stinks. This one hurts.“
But after a hectic Saturday for U.S. Snowboarding that includes allegations of misconduct against a coach, Baumgartner will go home as the oldest snowboarder to medal at a Winter Games.
