Julia Mancuso became the first American woman to win four Olympic medals in Alpine skiing on Monday after she secured a bronze medal in super-combined.

Julia Mancuso: Most Decorated U.S. Woman In Alpine Skiing

Mancuso, 29, pulled ahead with a spectacular downhill run and managed to do overcome her weaknesses in slalom and come in third, earning the U.S it’s first Sochi Olympic medal in Alpine.

“I really thought I was blowing it… but I knew I just fight to the finnish… Crossing the finish line, just seeing my name in the top three, it didn’t even matter if I could have been better. All that mattered to me was crossing that finish line with a solid run,” Mancuso stated after her win.

Mancuso joins a small club of Winter Olympians who have won medals in three consecutive Olympic games, which previously only included Apolo Ohno and Bonnie Blair. She won a gold in 2006 for the giant slalom and two silver medals in 2010 – one in the downhill and one in super-combined.

Mancuso Takes Bronze After Disappointing Season

“I really thought I was blowing it in slalom. I had a great downhill run and I knew there was nothing to lose,” Mancuso said after the race.

Mancuso was not the favorite to win in Sochi, after having a disappointing season, placing seventh at the highest in the World Cup circuit.

“It just brings that extra bit on intensity,” Mancuso said of her less than perfect season.

Following her big win, Mancuso also told reporters that she worked hard in the months leading up to Sochi to get in the right state of mind to win.

“It’s taken me a couple months to get all of my equipment in line and especially my head and mentality in line…[I] really put the focus back on the Olympics and back on myself and wanting to ski for myself and have fun, and be really positive, and look at these Olympics as a place where I could go and win medals,” Mancuso explained.

Mancuso will compete in the Alpine Skiing Women’s Downhill on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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