In a stunning upset, Norwegian Anna Odine Strom flew a jaw-dropping 101 meters (approximately 331 feet — the length of 11 school buses) in her second jump to snatch the Olympic champion title from heavy medal favorite, Slovenian world champion Nika Prevc.
Prevc placed 2nd, only 1.1 points behind Strom. Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama slotted into bronze medal position with a score of 261.8 points. Austrian podium hopeful Lisa Eder placed 4th.
American Annika Belshaw posted the United States' best finish at 21st. Her teammates Josie Johnson and Paige Jones placed 23rd and 27th, respectively.
In the first round, Strom shocked the crowd when she leapt 100 meters (around 328 feet) and earned 136.9 points, a full point ahead of Nika Prevc, who flew 98 meters (around 321 feet). Strom surpassed her own distance in the second round when she soared 101 meters — the farthest jump in the trial and contest rounds. Prevc also improved her distance in the second round, with a distance of 99.5 meters (approximately 326 feet), but it wasn't enough to claim the top spot from Strom.
With Nika Prevc’s silver medal, the Prevc family is just the fifth family in Olympic history to have three or more siblings each earn a medal at a Winter Olympics. Her older brothers, Peter and Cene Prevc, are retired ski jumpers who won medals at the 2018 Beijing Olympics. Her other brother, Domen Prevc, will make his Olympic debut during the men’s individual normal hill event on Feb. 9.
Women's individual normal hill medalists
🥇Anna Odine Strom (NOR)
🥈Nika Prevc (SLO)
🥉Nozomi Maruyama (JPN)