Jacobellis Earns First U.S. Gold Medal At Olympics In Snowboardcross

Lindsey Jacobellis was competing in her fifth Olympics and captured the first U.S. win.

Lindsey Jacobellis captured the United States' first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday, riding hard to the line in her snowboardcross final a full 16 years after showboating near the finish cost her the title.

The 36-year-old racer was competing in her fifth Olympics and captured the first U.S. win of what has been an otherwise dismal Games for the red, white and blue.

The victory came hours after the top American racer, skier Mikaela Shiffrin, skidded out and failed to finish the first run of the slalom, making her 0 for 2 in Beijing.