A snowboarder without sponsorship, a Vermont native, a 27 year old who spent the last Winter Olympics in Vancouver waxing the snowboards of U.S. riders that beat him out to qualify for the 2010 Olympic Games, Alex Deibold wasn't exactly seen as a, "hot commodity," in this year's Olympic Games. No, he was seen as a kid just lucky enough to be there; someone as down to earth as many of the local riders we see here at our
ski shop in Manchester, NH, but now, he's the New England underdog who was the only American to garner an Olympic medal in yesterday's snowboardcross final.
Draped in the American flag and standing on the Olympic podium adorned with his bronze medal, Deibold stood, looked on by his fellow teammates, his family, and his girlfriend, Ashley Berger, and accepted the title as the only American with an Olympic medal in the Men's Snowboardcross event.
"I love snowboarding because it's my passion and something I've always enjoyed. There have definitely been times where I doubted where I'm at - at the end of the season when you're broke and trying to figure out how to pay rent and figuring all that out. But I've never done it for the money," Deibold said. "To do something I love every day, is a real fortunate thing for me. I know how lucky I am to be here."
Before winning the bronze medal yesterday, the name Alex Deibold didn't exactly garner the attention of a Shaun White or even a Kelly Clark. Deibold isn't the most decorated of snowboarders out there either. He isn't bogged down with X-Game or World Cup accolades. He wasn't even considered one of the fastest riders on the American Team. So to see him rise to the podium through a white sea of surprise and the genuine affection of his teammates was a unheralded sight.
The story of the underdog has always been one cherished by the individualist American spirit in all of us and the story of Deibold's bronze medal is no exception. All of us here at Ken Jones Ski Mart are full of New England pride today. Unlike other ski shops in NH, we hang on every word of our fellow riders when they've earned the chance to be heard. After this win, we're sure that Burton Snowboards, Capita Snowboards, as well as an army of other sponsors will be knocking at Alex Deibold's door now. And that's just what he deserves.
