David Gleirscher struggled to make Austria’s Olympic team and Chris Mazdzer’s season hit rock-bottom less than a month ago. In the end it didn’t matter: they finished with gold and silver medals respectively as the Olympic reign of Germany’s Felix Loch came to a stunning and sudden end.

Gleirscher was the surprise first-run leader and a bigger surprise as the leader when it was all over. He finished his four runs at the Alpensia Sliding Center in 3 minutes, 10.702 seconds for the gold, Austria’s first in men’s luge in 50 years.

Mazdzer made history for the US, giving the Americans their first men’s singles medal by finishing second in 3:10.728. Germany’s Johannes Ludwig took third in 3:10.932.

Loch was supposed to be the champion, the one who would tie Georg Hackl’s record as only the second person to win Olympic luge gold three consecutive times. But as snow began to fall, his reign came to an end when he skidded during his final run and lost time. He crossed the finish line fifth, sitting for several seconds on his sled in disbelief and anguish as Gleirscher celebrated his upset win. Gleirscher has never finished better than fourth in a World Cup event.

On the biggest stage, he delivered the race of his life. And Mazdzer did the same. Mazdzer was fourth after the first two heats on Saturday, a mere one-thousandth of a second away from a medal spot. Knowing the opportunity was there for the taking, he threw down a track-record time in his third heat jumping from fourth to second and closing the gap on Loch. In his final run, Mazdzer crossed the line knowing he clinched a medal. The only question was whether it would be silver or bronze. Loch was the only slider left, and his skid sealed the outcome.

Felix Loch contemplates defeat after missing out on a medal. Photograph: Michael Sohn/AP

There have been 33 men who have represented USA Luge in singles at the Olympics, with a combined 48 appearances between them. The average finish among them had been 19th, with only seven top-10 showings.

“It’s great for sure,” Benshoof said moments after the result went final. “Happy for the team and Mazdzer. Anything can happen at an Olympics, for sure.”

Mazdzer was 13th in his Olympic debut in 2010, 13th again at the Sochi Games four years ago and came into the Pyeongchang Olympics after a less-than-scintillating 18th-place showing in this season’s overall World Cup standings. He said three weeks ago that he never felt worse about where he was on the sled, and vowed to find his way again. He did so in style.