Winter Youth Olympic Games: Zak Carrick-Smith wins second gold with slalom victory
- Published
Zak Carrick-Smith, who has grown up in the French Alps, has now won two gold medals and one silver in Gangwon
Zak Carrick-Smith continued his historic run at the Youth Olympic Games in South Korea with a second alpine skiing gold medal.
Carrick-Smith clinched the men's slalom title on Thursday, adding to his combined competition gold and giant slalom silver.
The 16-year-old said: "[This medal] means the world, it's just unbelievable."
GB also won curling's mixed team event to seal their third gold in Gangwon.
After beating Switzerland 8-6 in the semi-finals, the team of Logan Carson, Tia Laurie, Archie Hyslop and Holly Burke overcame Denmark 7-5 after an extra end.
Britain's medal tally of three golds and one silver at the Games makes it their best result at a Winter Olympic event.
Although they won a total of five medals at the Winter Olympics in both 2014 and 2018, each time that included just one gold.
Carrick-Smith's first gold was GB's first ever alpine skiing medal at a Winter Olympic event.
After securing the slalom title and clinching a third medal, he said: "I wanted to walk away with [at least] a medal. I wasn't expecting that."
Carrick-Smith's mum, Emma Carrick-Anderson, competed in alpine skiing for GB at four Winter Games between 1992 and 2002, before relocating to the French Alps to work as a ski instructor.
He is coached by Jo Ryding, sister of GB's most successful alpine skier Dave Ryding, and has the chance to win another medal on Friday as he competes in the parallel team event with Molly Burton.
"It's just amazing," Carrick-Smith added. "We are slowly climbing up the ladder, we are getting more and more known and I'm trying to help with that."
GB have now won 10 medals at Winter Youth Olympics including five golds. Madi Rowlands (ski halfpipe) and Ashleigh Pittaway (skeleton) were the previous champions, both at Lillehammer 2016.