British snowboarder Jenny Jones made history for the UK winning the country’s first ever Winter Olympics medal in the snow.
Jenny Jones first tried what is known as snowboarding at the age of 16, on a dry slope in the English town of Bristol and she would go on to become the first British athlete to win a medal on snow in a Winter Olympics.
The unlikely victory has made headlines in the UK, where many were already complaining that their athletes never performed well enough to win any of the snow events.
Singlehandedly, Jenny Jones shut up all of Team G.B’s (Great Britain) critics and has inspired millions with her gutsy performance.
It makes some sense that the Winter Games is not a strength in a country that is known for rolling hills, not steep mountain chains and so Jones’ bronze comes as a pleasant surprise for the proud British subjects, who themselves hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Jenny Jones, 33, who used to work as a maid at a ski resort, is the oldest snowboarder competing at Sochi. Her historic feat comes following Alain Baxter’s 2002 Salt Lake City third place finish in the slalom, which was stripped for doping. It was later proved that he had used Vicks inhaler.
The latest British sensation’s medal was even more doubtful, after she got into the finals by the skin of her teeth.
Can #TeamGB add to @jennyjonessnow Bronze medal? @TeamGB ‘s first medal @Sochi2014 CONGRATULATIONS!! pic.twitter.com/aL0nHpjxEC
— Capital Tickets (@CapitalTkts) February 10, 2014
This Monday morning we’re motivated by Jenny Jones achievements, what could you achieve if you put your mind to it? pic.twitter.com/gKaBhUaVyc
— Guardian Jobs (@GuardianJobs) February 10, 2014
Congratulations to @jennyjonessnow on winning @TeamGB 1st ever #WinterOlympics medal ? @Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/RrU3hMqEE4
— Team proto-col (@Teamprotocoluk) February 10, 2014
Words can’t describe. @ennirukajarvi @jennyjonessnow pic.twitter.com/b2usOoVpSD
— Jamie Anderson (@Jme_Anderson) February 9, 2014
#HistoryMade @jennyjonessnow up on the podium to collect her historic Bronze medal – who was watching? #GoTeamGB pic.twitter.com/Y2rRJJ6BbG
— Team GB (@TeamGB) February 9, 2014
Jenny Jones is only the 23rd British athlete to reach the Winter Olympics podium, but all previous medals have been on the ice, not the slopes.
Following her incredible performance, the Brit was “ecstatic” and after winning by 0.25 in front of the fourth place snowboarder said:
“All that waiting. I was only the second person to drop and there were so many more girls to come. When the last girl went and I realized she had messed the rail a bit, it was just like ‘Oh my goodness. I am on the podium’.”
Following the success of Team G.B. in the London Summer Olympics and before that, in Beijing, sponsorship has increased for the Winter Games to £14 million in the hopes of beating the best medal count for the Brits in an Olympics Winter Games at Sochi.
After Jenny Jones’ bronze medal for slopestyle was confirmed she was hysterically saying, “It’s ridiculous. That’s me. From Bristol.”
