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.