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Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News
Olympic skier Bode Miller arrives at Manhattan Family Court on Monday with his wife, Morgan Beck, and his 9-month-old son, Sam. Bode is involved in a custody dispute with former lover Sara McKenna, who is Sam’s mother.
Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller‘s baby mama regained temporary custody of their 9-month-old baby on Monday .
The world class skier handed his son over to Sara McKenna during a brief proceeding before a judge in Manhattan Family Court, and the boy responded by smiling and playing with his mom’s hair.
They then went to another hearing before a referee, who will decide who should have permanent custody of the boy McKenna calls Sam — and Miller renamed Nate — going forward.
Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News
Sara McKenna arrives at Manhattan Family Court on Monday.
The referee, Fiordaliza Rodriguez, granted McKenna, a former U.S. Marine, custody of the boy until at least their next appearance on Dec. 9.
RELATED: OLYMPIC SKIER LOSES CUSTODY SKIRMISH
“I’m happy to have my son back, even if it’s just for a little while,” the beaming mom said afterwards.
ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images
Olympic skier Bode Miller (pictured) is in a custody battle with the mother of his young son, who moved to New York from California while she was pregnant.
Miller said he’s still holding out hope he can take his son with him to the Olympics in February.
“He’s little and won’t probably remember too much, but from the picture he’ll know he was there. It’s a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity,” Miller said.
He said his son has “great energy, smiles a lot, and likes playing.”
Alec Tabak/for New York Daily News
Sara McKenna, a former U.S. Marine, and her son with Bode Miller.
RELATED: JUDGE SLAMS BODE MILLER’S EX FOR MOVE DURING CUSTODY BATTLE
The boy had been living with the ski star and his new wife, volleyball champ Morgan Beck, since a judge gave him temporary custody earlier this year.
McKenna, who is attending Columbia University on the G.I. Bill, lost her initial bid for custody in New York after Rodriguez ruled the case should be heard in California.
ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images
Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller at a press conference ahead of the FIS Ski World Cup season in Austria last month.
McKenna’s lawyer said while Miller and Beck have been traveling the world with the tot, McKenna has only been able spend 48 hours with him since Oct. 1.
McKenna’s fortunes changes two weeks ago, when an New York appeals court reversed Rodriguez’s decision and said the custody case should be decided in New York, where he was born Feb. 23.
RELATED: BODE MILLER AND WIFE LOSE UNBORN BABY
Craig Warga/New York Daily News
Sara McKenna after a May appearance in Manhattan Family Court.
The judges refuted the referee’s ruling that McKenna’s move to the city while she was pregnant was “reprehensible.”
McKenna said last May that she moved to New York from the Golden State because she could not pass up the opportunity for a free education at an Ivy League school.
McKenna said she met Miller through an online dating service and the baby was the result of a brief affair. She said Miller originally wanted her to get an abortion.
Miller subsequently filed for custody and since getting temporary physical custody, he has traveled around the world with his bride and the child.
bross@nydailynews.com
