Travis Mayer has become the first active Cornell student in 10 years to win an Olympic medal.
Mayer, 19, a freshman majoring in food science, won the silver medal in men's freestyle skiing (moguls) on Feb. 12, the fourth day of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Finland's Janne Lahtela with 27.97 points beat Mayer by about one-third of a point for the gold, with a score of 27.59.
Excitement for Mayer ran from Salt Lake to Cayuga Lake. Kathryn Boor, associate professor of food science, and members of her entire laboratory watched the real-time updates on the Olympic web site. "I am ecstatic for him and as proud as I can be. Travis is an extraordinarily disciplined person who deserves this extraordinary outcome," said Boor. "Our entire staff dropped everything and watched his run on a computer screen. It is Travis Mayer Day in food science," she said.
The last Cornellians to win a medal while being active students were Kent Manderville '93 and Dan Ratushny '92, who won silver medals for Canada in ice hockey in 1992. Pablo Morales, J.D. '93, won a gold medal in swimming in 1992.
Cornellian Hannah Hardaway missed winning an Olympic medal in the freestyle skiing competition by eight one-hundredths of a point Feb. 9. Hardaway placed fifth, behind Norway's Kari Traa (gold medal), the United States' Shannon Bahrke (silver) and Japan's Tae Satoya (bronze). Jennifer Heil, of Canada, finished one one-hundredth of a point behind Satoya, to give her a fourth-place finish.
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