The Last Word (and Gold) to Italy
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 27, 2006
PRAGELATO, Italy, Feb. 26 (AP) — The colors of Italy's flag streaked across the sky. The horde of Italian fans lingered, savoring one last moment of Olympic triumph.
In the middle of it all was Giorgio di Centa, who won the last possible gold medal for the host country Sunday in the Winter Games' final cross-country ski race. Di Centa beamed as he worked his way through the celebration, surrounded by eight police officers in an escort fit for a president.
Di Centa used a powerful sprint through the final stretch of the 50-kilometer skate for Italy's first individual gold in cross-country skiing in 38 years. After his victory, sporting the Italian flag around his neck, di Centa was asked to describe his race.
"Kilometer by kilometer?" he said with a grin.
The 33-year-old di Centa finished in 2 hours 6 minutes 11.8 seconds, only eight-tenths of a second ahead of the silver medalist, Yevgeni Dementiev of Russia — a wild ending to the longest and most grueling cross-country competition.
Moments later, a handful of parachutists, trailing streaks of smoke in red, white and green — the colors of the Italian flag — dropped from the sunny sky in a vibrant tribute to Italy's final gold.
"I usually finish second in World Cup races, but today I performed really well and I achieved a fantastic victory, especially because we are Italy," said di Centa, a father of three daughters.
It was a second gold medal for di Centa, also a member of Italy's winning foursome in the 4x10-kilometer relay Feb. 19. Mikhail Botwinov of Austria won the bronze medal.
Carl Swenson, an American, did not finish. He started despite being slowed by a head cold. He trained Saturday and decided to race on Sunday in his third and final Olympics. Andrew Johnson was the top American, finishing 34th.
For those who understand no explanation is needed, ...For those who don't none will.
