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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Classification
LW12-1
Further personal information
Residence
Innsbruck, AUT
Occupation
Customs Officer
Languages
English, German
Higher education
Business Administration - Management Center Innsbruck: Austria
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began Para alpine skiing in November 2007, 10 months after his accident. He first tried the sport on the Kaunertal Glacier in Austria.
Why this sport?
He wanted to continue skiing after his accident. "Of course I had pictured my way of skiing differently, but after a while I realised that I had a big talent in that sport and the thought grew to start a career in Para sports."
Club / Team
WSV Soll: Austria
Name of coach
Markus Gutenbrunner [national], AUT
International debut
Year
2009
Competing for
Austria
General interest
Hobbies
Sport, spending time with family and friends. (Athlete, 02 Mar 2022)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning three bronze medals at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. (Athlete, 02 Mar 2022)
Awards and honours
In 2018 he was given a Golden Sport Award by the Austrian Ski Federation [OSV]. (skiweltcup.tv, 23 Jun 2018)
Impairment
In January 2007 he crashed into a tree while skiing, paralysing him from the 12th thoracic vertebra. (tt.com, 25 Aug 2016; sporthilfe.at, 01 Mar 2014)
Other information
COMPETITIVE BREAK
He returned to competitive Para alpine skiing in 2021 after break of over two years after announcing his retirement in 2019. He plans to compete for one more year. "I pretty much lost the joy of skiing after 10 years as an elite skier. Moreover, I got a nice job offer from Austrian customs to lead the Para sports programme and started a bachelor's degree in economics. It was time to focus on something new. Back then a comeback was never an option for me, but having no training in the gates and getting the result that I got at the national championships [in 2021], I started thinking more and more to try it once again. After finishing my bachelor studies in June [2021], I started training again and now I had some good days on snow, which makes me quite optimistic." (paralympic.org, 17 Nov 2021; oesv.at, 23 Sep 2021)
He returned to competitive Para alpine skiing in 2021 after break of over two years after announcing his retirement in 2019. He plans to compete for one more year. "I pretty much lost the joy of skiing after 10 years as an elite skier. Moreover, I got a nice job offer from Austrian customs to lead the Para sports programme and started a bachelor's degree in economics. It was time to focus on something new. Back then a comeback was never an option for me, but having no training in the gates and getting the result that I got at the national championships [in 2021], I started thinking more and more to try it once again. After finishing my bachelor studies in June [2021], I started training again and now I had some good days on snow, which makes me quite optimistic." (paralympic.org, 17 Nov 2021; oesv.at, 23 Sep 2021)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Final | 2011-01-20 | 5 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final | 2011-01-21 | 13 | |
| Mixed Team Event VI/Sitting/Standing | Final | 2011-01-23 | 6 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-20 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-21 | 10 | |
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-24 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-25 | 9999 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-26 | 6 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-08 | 4 | |
| Men's Super-G Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-09 | 9999 | |
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-13 | 3 | |
| Men's Super Combined Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-14 | 3 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-15 | 3 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-04 | 2 | |
| Men's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-05 | 4 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-07 | 2 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-08 | 4 | |
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-10 | 9999 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-25 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-26 | 6 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-28 | 5 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-30 | 5 | |
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-31 | 7 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Sitting | Final | 2018-03-10 | 5 | |
| Men's Super-G Sitting | Final | 2018-03-11 | 9 | |
| Men's Super Combined Sitting | Final | 2018-03-13 | 9999 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final | 2018-03-14 | 7 | |
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Final | 2018-03-17 | 8 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2019-01-21 | 9 | |
| Men's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2019-01-23 | 6 |
