Kearney upstages Heil to take moguls gold in Vancouver

From Sportsbeat staff, in Cypress Mountain

 AMERICAN Hannah Kearney rained on Canada's parade in Cypress Mountain, scooping freestyle moguls gold and ensuring defending champion Jennifer Heil had to settle for silver.

GOLDEN GIRL: Hannah Kearney upsets the Canadian applecart to clinch moguls gold ahead of Jennifer Heil in Vancouver (Getty Images)

Kearney collected 26.63 points for her final run, ensuring Heil, bidding to become Canada's first ever Olympic home medallist, could not spark the expected home gold rush on Saturday.

Heil, second to go after finishing behind the American in qualifying, moved into the lead with just Kearney to compete, collecting 25.69 points with a storming run, but while Heil was impressive, Kearney was flawless.

In collecting gold, Kearney finally banished her demons of 2006 in Turin, where a shocking performance in the qualifying round saw her fail to reach the final.

Heil meanwhile, could not secure her place in history as her country's first home Olympian, after Canada failed to top the podium at both Montreal 1976 and Calgary 1988.

But if the weight of expectation was a burden for Heil, she did not show it. When the USA's Shannon Bahrke moved into first place, the top five were still to compete.

But the pressure was seemingly too much to handle for some.

Kristi Richards exploded to life in the opening part of the course - the adrenalin was clearly racing through her veins.

But she could not maintain such a tempo throughout the course and she crashed out, ensuring there were then three.

The USA's Heather McPhie was next up and she too felt the pressure. Another excellent start saw McPhie a seeming certainty for a medal but she misjudged a backflip and crashed into the ice, ensuring bronze went to Bahkre.

Heil did not make the same mistake however, and she blitzed her way down Cypress Mountain to deafening cheers from the home crowd.

Only Kearney, the 2005 world champion, stood between Heil and her second gold. But the American glided down 'the bumps' to silence the supporters and ensure Canada's wait goes on.  

AS IT HAPPENED: Day two of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

IN PICTURES: Hannah Kearney collects women's moguls gold