Salt Lake City ? In one of the games’ traditional glamour events, tradition was served as Austrian Fritz Strobl long overshadowed by more illustrious Austrian teammates swept to the gold medal in the men’s downhill.

He became the sixth Austrian to win the downhill in the 15 races since Alpine skiing debuted in 1948, although the first in a decade.

Austria's Fritz Strobl makes a turn during the men's downhill. Strobl was the event's surprise winner on Sunday at Snowbasin, Utah.

“It’s sensational,” said Strobl, a 29-year-old police officer who had never won a medal in a major competition. “I didn’t expect it. I was just thinking of racing down the course, not of winning.”

Favorite Stephan Eberharter, one of the Austrians who typically trumps Strobl, finished third to take the bronze. Lasse Kjus of Norway finished second to win his fourth Olympic medal.

American medal hopeful Daron Rahlves, fifth in the downhill at last year’s world championships and the reigning world champion in super giant slalom, finished 16th.

Earlier, Swiss skier Simon Ammann returned from injury and soared to victory in the 90-meter ski jump the first Swiss ski jumping medal since 1972.

That was hardly much of a streak compared to the 54-year stretch of Finnish futility that Samppa Lajunen ended with his gold medal in the Nordic combined.

The nine gold medals awarded so far have gone to nine different countries, an Olympic sharing of the wealth. Austria, with five total medals, was atop the medals chart.

Nordic combined: Waving a Finnish flag and slowing down as he approached the finish line, Lajunen relished the moments as he skied to a gold medal in the Nordic combined his country’s first individual gold in the discipline since 1948.

“It is hard work to be 23 years old and win an Olympic medal,” said Lajunen, who finished ahead of silver medal-winning teammate Jaakko Talluse. Felix Gottwald of Austria won the bronze.

U.S. medal hopeful Todd Lodwick wound up seventh, the highest finish for an American in Olympic history.

“It’s a little bit disappointing, because I had expectations of moving up,” said Lodwick.

Ski jumping: When he was sitting out weeks of the World Cup season with injuries to his back and head, an Olympic gold medal seemed an impossibility for Switzerland’s Ammann.

On Sunday, the impossible happened. With a clutch, final jump on the 90-meter hill, Ammann earned the first Swiss medal in ski jumping since the 1972 Sapporo Games. After nailing his 323-foot jump, the 5-foot-8, 120-pound Ammann peered anxiously at the giant scoreboard and learned he was the winner.

“He came out of nowhere,” said America’s Alan Alborn, who had hoped to end a 78-year medal drought for the U.S. team but finished 11th.

Sven Hannawald of Germany took the silver, and Adam Malysz of Poland the bronze.

Speedkating: Another race, another record.

Germany’s Claudia Pechstein, skating on the lightning-fast ice of the Utah Olympic Oval, set a world record in the 3,000 meters to win the gold while upstaging her teammate and rival, Anni Friesinger.

Pechstein broke her own record by more than 1 1/2 seconds, finishing in 3 minutes, 57.70 seconds. Renate Groenewold of the Netherlands took silver, while, and Canada’s Cindy Klassen won bronze. Friesinger, who was aiming for three gold medals in Salt Lake, was shut out.

It was the second world record in as many speedskating races in Salt Lake City.

Jennifer Rodriguez finished seventh despite breaking her own U.S. national record.

Luge: Halfway through the four runs of the luge, Adam Heidt was in position to accomplish what no American has yet pulled off capture a medal in the men’s singles. Heidt was in fourth place heading into today’s final two runs, although he was trailing the biggest guns in the sport. Armin Zoeggeler of Italy, bidding to dethrone three-time Olympic champion Georg Hackl of Germany, was in first place after setting a track record on both his runs. Austria’s Markus Prock, a 10-time World Cup champion, was third.

Hockey: The preliminary round the one without all the NHL stars continued, with Germany defeating Austria 3-2 for its second straight victory. Austria’s second straight loss virtually eliminates it from medal contention. In the day’s other contest, Latvia and Slovakia tied 6-6.