It was possibly the most dramatic scene of the Whistler Olympic Park's competitions Norway's golden girl, three-time gold medalist Marit Bjoergen, in a dead heat against the star of the World Cup season, Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk, in the premier women's cross country skiing competition, the grueling 30-km mass start.
After nearly one and a half hours pushing their limits, Kowalczyk pushed a little further to take a 10-metre lead in the last 800 metres of the race, and despite already landing three gold medals, Bjoergen was gunning for one more.
She just barely overtook Kowalczyk on the final bend, but couldn't sustain her pace, and so it was a photo finish with Kowalczyk diving over the line that earned the Poles a victory of with a mere 0.3-second difference. Bjoergen would have to settle for a silver, for a Games total of five including an earlier bronze finish.
Canada's veteran cross country Olympian Sara Renner came in three minutes, 30 seconds behind the leader for 16th place.Renner, a Canmore, Alberta resident and 2006 silver medalist, announced earlier this week that it would be her last competition. The 33-year-old placed seventh in the team sprint, 10th in the pursuit and 34th in the individual sprint these Games.
Although Kowalczyk earned an individual sprint silver and 15-km double pursuit bronze, it would be Poland's first Winter Olympic Games gold medal win.
"I don't even remember the last 200 metres but this is the Olympics and you must fight," said Kowalczyk. "I feel great now. I am tired as well but it feels so good to be number one."
Finland's Aino-Kaisa Saarinen took bronze for her first medal of the Games, 1:05.0 minutes behind the front two.
