23 Feb 2014

NZer 25th in Sochi slalom

12:16 pm on 23 February 2014

New Zealand's last competitor at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the skiier Adam Barwood, has finished 25th in the slalom.

Following a strong showing in the Giant Slalom earlier in the week when he finished 44th, Barwood crossed the finish line on his first run in a time of 54:21s in 50th position, 7.51 seconds behind the race leader.

Difficult snow conditions nearly got he better of Barwood on his second run, but he held on to finish in a combined time of 1:56.18.

His final placing of 25 from a start position of 63 was a personal best.

Of the 117 skiers who started the course only 45 finished.

Austria's Mario Matt clinched the gold and became the oldest Olympic alpine skiing champion

with a combined time of 1min 41.84.

His compatriot Marcel Hirscher, the reigning world champion, finished second at 0.28sec, with young Norwegian sensation Henrik Kristoffersen taking bronze at 0.83sec.