Bode Miller wins super-combined for first Olympic gold medal

WHISTLER, British Columbia (SI.com) -- Bode Miller solidified his place as the greatest ski racer in U.S. history Sunday, winning a gold medal in the super-combined event with a blazing slalom finish.

It was Miller's fifth career Olympic medal, and his first gold. He also has three silvers and one bronze. Miller has won a gold, a silver and a bronze at these Olympics, becoming the first American Alpine skier to win three medals in a single Games.

The super-combined consists of a downhill run followed by a slalom run. Miller, 32, was seventh after the morning downhill, trailing leader Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway by .76 seconds.

But Miller skied one of the most brilliant slalom runs of his career to take the lead and held off the final six skiers.

His performance here is a stunning reversal of his 0-for-5 disaster four years ago in Turin.

U.S. racers have now won a record eight Alpine medals. The previous high was six. Miller and Lindsey Vonn (women's downhill) have won gold medals, one short of the three golds that U.S .ski racers won in 1984.