“I thought that I had four awesome runs, I was happy with what I did,” said the 24-year-old Zablocki after the race. “I really convinced myself that I could finish up there. Fourth, even though it’s an awesome finish, the truth is I’m a little disappointed, but I’m also happy at the same time.”

Zablocki’s finish is the best-ever American women’s singles Olympic result, topping both Cameron Myler and Becky Wilczak, who both posted fifth place Olympic results. Myler slid to her fifth place finish in 1992, while Wilczak was fifth in 2002.

Zablocki built up a combined time of 3 minutes, 08.852 seconds, which was 0.873 seconds off the pace set by Sylke Otto, who successfully defended the gold medal she won in Salt Lake City in 2002. Otto slid to a four-run total of 3:07.979, and was followed by teammate Silke Kraushaar, who slid to silver in 3:08.115. Tatjana Huefner captured bronze after racing to a two-night, four-heat time of 3:08.460. Huefner clocked a final run time of 46.981 seconds, which allowed her to hold off Zablocki for the bronze medal by 0.392 seconds.

American Erin Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.) finished 12th with a time of 3:11.290. “I’m really happy with the way that I raced,” noted the 19-year-old Hamlin. “I really enjoyed my first Olympic experience and I’m happy about where I finished.”

In other news, fellow American Samantha Retrosi (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) was released from the CTO Hospital, in Torino, Italy, after being treated for a concussion and cuts to her chin and left knee, suffered during last night’s second heat.