VON ALLMEN -SWISS- HONORS : OLYMPICS GOLD

ORMIO : Von Allmen wins the men's downhill for first gold of Olympics.

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen scorched to victory in the men's  Olympic downhill in Bormio last Saturday, winning the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.

Reigning world champion Von Allmen hit speeds of  145 km/h  [ 90 mph], to clock a winning time of  1min  51.61 sec down the testing Stelvio course.

The 24-year-old Swiss racer broke the hearts of the home nation, finishing ahead of the Italian pair of Giovanni Franzoni,  who was. 0.20 sec  behind, and Dominik Paris  [ + 0.50 ].

Free-race favorite  Marco Odermatt, Von Allmen's Swiss team-mate, could only finish fourth.

'' It feels like a movie,'' Von Allmen said.

'' My secret is to enjoy skiing! I was really relaxed in the morning and tried to keep the good feelings ............. Skiing must be fun.

'' We All skied because it was fun. It has to be in the foreground, be it skiing or any other profession, because you have to do it every day.''

The World Students Society thanks Agencies.