2010 Winter Olympics: Lacy Schnoor jubilant despite freestyle team's failure to medal

CYPRESS, British Columbia — It did not have the fairy tale ending she imagined, but Lacy Schnoor's Olympic experience has been a dream come true.

"I did my two hardest jumps," said the 24-year-old Draper native, who finished ninth in the women's aerials competition Wednesday at Cypress Mountain. "Those are new for me this year. And that's actually the second competition where I've landed both jumps — that's why I'm just ecstatic."

The Alta High graduate was so focused on landing her jumps in the women's aerials competition Wednesday night, she didn't notice anything other than the hillside in front of her.

"I was just so in the zone, I hardly remember," said Schnoor with a laugh. "I didn't even notice it was foggy. I'm just psyched that I came out and landed two jumps; I couldn't ask for more."

Lydia Lassila won the gold medal with a combined score of 214.74, while China's Nina Li was second, and her teammate Xinxin Guo was third. The Australians have two golds and a silver, which is the best performance for the country in the Winter Games.

"This is something I've dreamed about at home since as far back as I can remember," said Lassila, who has overcome injuries to lead a strong Australian squad and break up what would have been a sweep by China. "I never backed down. I crossed my t's and dotted my i's; I've had my ups and downs, fought through and believed. This is what I worked for my whole life. It's here now."

Schnoor's American teammate Ashley Caldwell, 16, was 10th, and two-time Olympian Emily Cook, who lives in Park City, was 11th.

It was a disappointing end for Cook, who couldn't hold back tears. She broke both her feet just weeks after earning a spot on the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team and then had a disappointing finish in Torino in 2006. Wednesday night, she fell backward on the landing of her first jump, but she nailed the second jump, which made her smile.

"It's just been such a long road to get here," she said choking back emotion. "Obviously, I'm disappointed with my first jump, but it's been a long road, and I'm very proud of the preparation I've done. I've put everything, my heart and soul into it."

For Caldwell, there was no downside, as she's only competed in two World Cups before the Games. She is the first gymnast to come through the Elite Air program.

"It's kind of like a pipeline for the best in the world," she said.