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Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Austria House on Sunday evening (Feb 9) after Matthias Mayer won the men's downhill alpine skiing gold medal earlier in the day.
Putin greeted members of the Austrian Olympic team as well as members of the public before giving a toast and sharing a drink with team officials.
The Russian president also congratulated Austria on their first gold medal of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.
Mayer became the first Austrian men's Olympic downhill winner since Fritz Strobl in 2002, and one of a series of outsiders who have emerged from relative obscurity to capture the coveted downhill title.
Putin has staked his reputation on staging a safe and successful Games, despite threats from Islamist militants to disrupt them. The Games are the most expensive in history, costing $51 billion.
