Alexandre Bilodeau wins first home Olympic gold for Canada

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 ALEXANDRE Bilodeau has finally ended Canada's wait for a first home Olympic gold medallist with a flawless performance in the freestyle skiing moguls in Cypress Mountain.

FINALLY: Alexandre Bilodeau becomes the first Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal on home soil with moguls victory (Getty Images)

The 22-year-old produced a storming run of blistering pace and breath-taking grace, romping home in 23.17 seconds to amass 26.75 points and with it Canada's first gold of the Vancouver Games.

In claiming victory, Bilodeau became the first Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal on home soil after Montreal 1976 and Calgary 1988 failed to produce a home winner.

Silver went to 2006 champion Dale Begg-Smith, the Vancouver-born Australian, who collected 26.58 points while Bryon Wilson of the USA claimed 26.08.

Thirty-four years of hurt meant little to Bilodeau. While the women's defending champion Jennifer Heil of Canada had to settle for silver on Saturday, Bilodeau was in no mood to make do with second best.

In qualifying Begg-Smith could only manage fourth, seemingly the curse of the defending champion - no-one has ever retained the Olympic moguls crown - was going to strike again.

 But he rekindled the form that saw him top the podium in Turin, collecting 26.58 points and piling the pressure on the final three competitors.

The USA's Wilson blitzed down the track but he did not have the technical touches of Begg-Smith's run and he slipped into second place.

But Bilodeau held nothing back. He produced a spectacular double-twisting full-back somersault in his first jump - the partisan home crowd erupted with glee.

And he relentlessly torpedoed through the bumps before effortlessly producing a sublime iron cross backflip, crossing the line to rapturous applause.

That ensured only France's Guilbaut Colas, the form man of the World Cup circuit having won the last two events prior to Vancouver, could prevent Bilodeau from making history.

Colas was also intent on leaving everything on the track and he blitzed down in the fastest time of the competition.

The judges were not impressed however and he could only muster sixth place with 25.74 points, ensuring Bilodeau etched his name into folklore in Cypress Mountain and looks set to have sparked the expected Canadian gold rush at Vancouver 2010.

AS IT HAPPENS: Day three of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

IN PICTURES: The men's freestyle skiing moguls at Cypress Mountain