PYEONGCHANG, Feb 16 (AP): Italy's Michela Moioli won the gold medal in Olympic women's snowboardcross on Friday, overtaking American Lindsey Jacobellis about halfway down the course, then beating the rest of the field to the finish line.
Jacobellis placed fourth, continuing her hard-luck career at the Olympics. The sport's most decorated rider, Jacobellis has failed to return to the podium since settling for silver after an ill-advised jump in 2006 while she was clear in the lead.
"Fourth place is fourth place at the Olympics," Jacobellis said.
Julia Pereira de Sousa Mablieau of France took silver this time. Defending champion Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic got clipped from behind and skidded across the line for bronze.
Jacobellis had about a two-body-length lead on the field when Moioli overtook her on a curve. Samkova drafted behind and pushed Jacobellis out to the edge of the course and, from there, she couldn't gain any ground.
This was the first time Jacobellis had even raced for the Olympic gold since she took the fall in Italy. At the two ensuing Olympics, she went off course in semifinals and had to settle for winning the consolation bracket.
With her 27 World Cup wins, nine Winter X Games titles and a better than 60-percent rate of podium finishes, the 32-year-old American has shown amazing consistency in a sport that's often random because of the tight quarters and danger at every turn.
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