Julia Mancuso Fails to Medal in Women's Downhill Final at Sochi 2014

Julia Mancuso failed to ride the wave of momentum to another medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The American was coming off a bronze in the women's super combined, but wasn't able to reach the podium again in the downhill.

NBC Olympics provided word of Mancuso's latest result:

Mancuso entered the Olympics with a lack of hype despite her previous success at the Games. Her medal performances in both 2006 and 2010 showed the big stages always seems to bring the best out of her, at this year was no different at the outset.

She put together a tremendous downhill showing in the first part of the super combined event to take a sizable lead into the slalom. Even though her run in the second half was average at best, it was still enough to add a bronze medal to her collection.

The U.S. Olympic Team also noted it made her the country's first skier to land on the podium at three different Games:

When you combined her great run in the downhill half of the super combined with her experience, it was easy to see why she was one of the top contenders heading into the event.

Mancuso also sports plenty of self-belief. It's something she talked about after winning bronze in her first event, as passed along by Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post:

I've always just had that real belief that I can do it. For me, putting out these dreams and beliefs that I can come in here and have a medal, and everyone being a little skeptical and just knowing in my heart that I can do it, was kind of like crossing the finish line being like, 'See, it works! Believing in yourself really works!'

Given her Olympic success, it's hard to argue with her mantra.

Unfortunately for Mancuso, she wasn't able to capture another medal in the downhill. After putting everything on the line during the super combined, she just wasn't able to muster another elite performance to end up on the podium again.

It's a disappointing result given her downhill greatness during the super combined. That said, even if she leaves Sochi with just one medal around her neck that will be a success. So anything more from this point forward would be a bonus.

She has already added to her legacy of being one of the top American skiers in Winter Olympic history. Failing to medal in the downhill doesn't change that as she looks ahead to her remaining events.

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