BEIJING — In four Olympics, Nick Baumgartner was missing just one thing.
“One of these medals,” he said tearfully after a 10th-place finish in men’s snowboard cross on Thursday.
He finally got it two days later. The 40-year-old, who is the oldest American snowboarder in Olympic history, earned his first Olympic medal Saturday, taking gold with Lindsey Jacobellis in mixed team snowboard cross at Genting Snow Park.
Jacobellis, a five-time Olympian who finally earned her elusive gold medal this week, crossed the finish line first in the relay race-type event that was making its Olympic debut.
Baumgartner raced first and gave his teammate a 0.04-second head start. After crossing the finish line first among the men, Baumgartner pumped his fist and shouted toward the start line, “Let’s go, Linds!”
Jacobellis fell behind out of the gate early but rallied from third place and took the lead by passing Italy’s Michela Moioli on the final turn. She charged through the finish line, where Baumgartner rushed to greet her and snap her out of her boots.
