SNOWBOARD: After what must have been a sleepless night for Australia’s greatest ever female Winter Olympian Torah Bright has dedicated her silver medal to the nation she represents so proudly. 

After a fall in her first run Bright was under intense pressure to pull off a podium-worthy performance and the 27-year-old didn’t disappoint her legion of Green and Gold fans who were up watching her in early hours of Thursday morning back home. 

“It’s not just my medal,” said a still beaming Bright. 

“This is my brother’s (medal), my family’s, it’s our nation’s and I’m so happy I can bring home some more hardware for you all.” 

Having had a few hours to reflect on her amazing achievement Bright still could not wipe the smile off her face. 

“There is so much pressure to perform on that one night when the world is tuning in. 

“For me to be able to put on a good show I was extremely happy.” 

The Aussie star now heads from the Sochi slopes to Olympic Park to receive her medal on Thursday evening (local time), something she has been dreaming about for a while. 

“I’ve seen myself up there getting the medal around my neck and I feel so incredibly privileged to be where I am. 

“It’s a huge honour and it shows the hard work and blood sweat and tears from my team, not just from the past year, the past four years but my whole lifetime.” 

It will then be back to business as she prepares to compete in her third event at these Games – the Snowboard Cross. 

“I am really excited for Boarder Cross. I’ve had to channel the inner-fierce Torah to come out. 

“The last race that I did I felt like it was all just clicking and anything can happen in boarder-cross so I am just going to go out there and be fierce.” 

Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman was wearing a smile as big as Bright’s on Thursday morning after overseeing his first medal of the Sochi 2014 Games. 

“We were already in a very positive mode before Torah went out there and won that medal. We had had some great results but not quite medal results in the first few days of competition.

“I think everyone (in the Australian Team) takes a lot out of Torah’s medal. I know in the athlete’s lounge it was a pretty happy and wild place in the village.

“For us it’s great to get on the medal tally and to get some of the ultimate rewards.” 

Bright will have a rest day on Thursday before then training on Friday in preparation for the Sunday Snowboard Cross event.