Meillard wins slalom gold at world championships after Clement slips
Swiss Loïc Meillard claimed his maiden individual gold medal at a world championships with a dramatic triumph in the slalom in Austria's Saalbach-Hinterglemm on Sunday.
After a second place in the opening run, Meillard took the lead with a total time of 1 minute 54.02 seconds. Only first-run leader Clement Noel could beat him, but the Olympic champion lost balance and couldn't finish his race.
Noel won slalom gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and has four slalom wins this season, but is yet to medal at a world championships.
Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath was 0.26s behind to take silver and Linus Strasser completed the podium to take Germany's sole medal at this year's worlds. For both it was a first individual world title.
Meillard has just one career slalom World Cup victory, in Aspen just under a year ago. But this season he has finished second twice and third twice in the discipline on the World Cup circuit.
It was his third medal in Saalbach-Hinterglemm after team combined gold and giant slalom bronze.
"Three medals at a world championships is simply brilliant. After Schladming (last World Cup stop before the worlds) I had a few quiet days of training, which also helped me at the world championships. It is brilliant to be part of this Swiss team, you can only enjoy it," Meillard said.
With Meillard's triumph, Switzerland ended the world championships as the most successful nation with 13 medals (five gold, five silver and three bronze). The Swiss team claimed women's slalom gold thanks to Camille Rast, the other four came from the men's events.
McGrath was very pleased with his silver medal, especially after he missed the 2023 world championships due to a cruciate ligament tear.
"It was difficult to watch," the Norwegian said.
Sunday's race was the final event of the worlds. For the men, the World Cup season resume on February 20-23 in Crans Montana, Switzerland, while the women head to Sestriere, Italy on February 21-23.
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