Lake Tahoe's Julia Mancuso Wins 4th Olympic Medal; Takes the Bronze in Sochi

Lake Tahoe's Julia Mancuso produced a true champion performance Monday, becoming the first American skier in history to win a medal in three straight Olympic Winter Games with her bronze in a tricky super combined event at the Rosa Khutor alpine center.

Mancuso skied into the lead in the downhill portion and then ripped up the slalom course that bumped nine skiers off course, finishing third behind gold winner German Maria Hoefl-Riesch and silver winner Austrian Nicole Hosp.

"I knew I just had to give my best shot and it sure didn’t feel good," said Mancuso after her run. "I definitely had moments in my mind where I was thinking, ‘This is not going to be good enough but keep fighting.’ I knew where to let it run on that last pitch and surprise! I looked up and got a medal."

"I just love being here at the Olympics," continued the Squaw Valley skier. "It’s so much fun and I get really energized."

Mancuso and the women will be back to take on downhill on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Coverage of the women’s super combined event airs on NBC’s primetime Olympic feature Monday at 8:00 p.m.