Updated 07:21 AM EDT, Thu, Apr 25, 2024

Sochi Winter Olympics Medal Count 2014: US Falls to Second Place, Russia Takes Lead After Vic Wild Wins Second Gold

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The United States has fallen into second place behind the Russian Federation after Russia won the gold in the men's 4x7 .5km relay on Saturday. 

Russia also took the bronze in ladies' team pursuit speed skating Saturday, and American-born Vic Wild took the gold in men's parallel slalom snowboarding. 

Wild, who married a Russian and became a Russian citizen, edged out Zan Kosir of Slovenia by 0.11 seconds, winning his second gold medal in slalom at Sochi. 

Russia has now taken the top spot in the medal count with 29 medals total and 11 gold medals, which puts it in top contention for the most gold medals, for which it is currently tied with Norway. 

The United States is now in second place with 27 medals after Mikaela Shiffrin took the gold in women's slalom alpine skiing Friday. The U.S. also won the silver Friday in men's 5000 relay. 

Shiffrin, 18, is the youngest winner ever of an olympics slalom gold medal. She showed incredible agility on the Rosa Khotur course, during which she corrected herself mid-air, landing her skis back between the gates midway through her second run. 

According to ESPN, she took the top prize with the time of 1:44.54. Austrian slalom veteran Marlies Schild, who is one of Shiffrin's idols, took the silver with a time of 0.53 seconds. 

"There I was, I'm like, 'Grrreat. I'm just going to go win my first medal.' And then in the middle of the run, I'm like, 'Guess not." Shiffrin said. "So like, 'No. Don't do that. Do not give up. You see this through.' My whole goal was to just keep my skis moving."

"Today was one of the most special days of my life," Shiffrin continued. 

Schild, 32, has now taken slalom medals at three straight olympics, but has not won gold. 

"The dream died in the first run," said Schild, who had been sixth-fastest. "I won the silver medal in the second run and that's great."

Kathrin Zettel of Austria came in third, with a time of 0.81 behind Shiffrin. "Mikaela was absolute fantastic skiing, so she was the favorite and she nailed all of us," Zettel said. "She is the real Olympic champion."

Shiffrin is also the first American woman to get a slalom medal since Barbara Cochran took the gold at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics. 

The U.S. also took the silver Friday in the short track men's 5000m relay. 

The U.S. now has 27 medals total and nine gold medals. Russia is in first with 29, and Norway is in third with 25. 

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