Hermann Maier Wins Gold After Crash

Hermann Maier won gold in the super-G and giant slalom at the 1998 Olympics. He achieved this after a severe crash in the downhill event.

What happened?

The crash occurred during the Olympic downhill in Nagano, Japan, in 1998. Hermann Maier crashed onto the icy slope, rolled over several times, and flew over the safety net.

Why it matters for Hermann Maier

Maier got up, knocked the snow off his body, and skied down into the valley with minor scratches. He had entered the Olympic downhill as the big favorite and had overdone it with his ambition. Hermann Maier later said: "I was so hungry for it, especially because I had already dominated the whole season."

What comes next?

Three days after the crash, he won gold in the super-G, followed by gold in the giant slalom. The resilient athlete later said: "After a fall like that, I thought to myself: if I win gold now, I'll be immortal." Hermann Maier stuck to the principle of football goalie Oliver Kahn: keep going, keep going. He accelerated insanely and thought to himself that he wanted to ride even closer than in training. The Olympic Games are the greatest thing for an athlete, according to Hermann Maier. He was 25 years old at the time of the 1998 Olympics. Hermann Maier's determination and resilience inspired many. He won gold in the super-G on February 1998, and in the giant slalom on February 1998. The "Herminator" had suffered minor scratches but otherwise was unharmed. Hermann Maier's crash and subsequent wins will always be remembered.