Ammann wins ski jumping gold for Switzerland

WHISTLER, B.C. - Simon Ammann of Switzerland has made Winter Olympics ski jumping history.

Ammann won the individual large hill competition Saturday at Whistler Olympic Park, becoming the first man to win four career ski jumping gold medals in individual events. He has won the large and normal hill titles in 2002 and 2010. He finished out of the medals four years ago.

The 28-year-old Ammann had 283.6 points after Saturday's two jumps, which covered 144 and 138 metres.

Adam Malysz of Poland (269.4 points) won the silver medal and Gregor Schlierenzauer of Austria (262.2) claimed bronze. The top three finishers were the same on the normal hill one week earlier.

Ammann joined Matti Nykanen of Finland as the only Olympic ski jumper with four gold medals. Nykanen twice reached the podium in 1984 and 1988, but one of his gold medals was earned when Finland won the team event in 1988 in Calgary.

Ammann can win an unprecedented fifth ski jumping gold medal Monday in the large hill team event, but the deep Austrian team is favoured to win that championship.

Stefan Read of Canada was 46th in Saturday's first round, from which the top 30 jumpers advanced to the final round. Read, who was born in Edmonton, lives in Calgary.

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