Kamil Stoch Wins Ski Jumping Large Hill Gold Medal at Winter Olympics 2018

Kamil Stoch won Poland its first gold medal of the 2018 Winter Olympics, finishing first in the men's large hill ski jumping on Saturday.

While compatriot and 2017 World Champion Maciej Kot disappointed, Stoch was on point in qualifiers and during Saturday's final, clearing 140 meters with both his attempts. Germany's Andreas Wellinger took silver, ahead of Norway's Robert Johansson.

Here's a look at the top three and their scores:

Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi, who set a new hill record for distance in qualifying, took the early first-round lead as the first man to clear 130 meters. His total of 134.0 was unlikely to hold up, however, and Michael Hayboeck blew the score out of the water by clearing 140 meters to move to the top of the standings.

Kot, the 2017 World Champion and one of the favorites for the gold medal, fell well short of the expectations with his first jump, failing to clear 130 meters and scoring 124.2. Stoch would end up in the top spot after the first round, with a full round of jumps still to come.

Here's a look at the standings:

Daniel-Andre Tande cleared 138.5 meters in the final round to take the early advantage, while Kot again didn't make it past 130 meters, capping off a disappointing outing for the Pole. 

Johann Andre Forfang, a standout in qualifying, came within 1.5 points of compatriot Tande and the lead, but sheer distance made the difference, with Forfang coming up shot by four meters.

The Norwegians put up a show in the final round:

Robert Johansson used perfect form to soar into first place, even though his final jump only went for 134.5 meters. He couldn't enjoy his lead for long, however, as Wellinger saved his best for last with a jump of 142 meters. His total went past 280, ensuring a medal in the process.

Hayboeck's second jump didn't come close to his first, landing him outside of the medals, but Stoch held his nerve, clearing 140 meters for a second time to score 285.7.

The 30-year-old has now won three gold medals at the Winter Olympcis, with two at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. He also finished fourth in the normal hill competition in 2018, where Wellinger took the gold.