With two silver medals from Vancouver and fifth place in the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, evergreen Adam Malysz can look back on yet another successful season and looking forward to a well-deserved holiday
What’s the life of a ski jumper like?
You live it out of a suitcase. I usually get some time off in April. That’s when we can go on holiday with the family, otherwise it’s all about training. Training is easier for me because I have a base here in Wisła, so I can live at home, but from December to March there is not a single Saturday when I’m at home.
What does it take to be a good and successful ski jumper?
It’s not down to any one thing: it’s psyche, talent, stamina, having the right people close to you – it all has to be connected. And also your build. Ski jumpers are all very light, so we have to be very strict about our diet. They used to say that the bigger, the better but nowadays it’s the not-so-tall competitors who are more successful.
At 32, you’re not the youngest competitor out there. Does experience help?
Younger competitors tend to be naturally stronger, so you have to put in more effort to match them. And that’s not always possible. But since I’ve gone back to training with Hannu Lepistoe, I’ve been getting much better results and that has given me much more confidence. The fact that I got back on form and proved, to myself, really, that I am able to continue jumping for a while at least.
You’ve already stood on every podium. Do you ever think about calling it a day?
Every podium is different; I’m often asked which victory or which championship meant the most to me, and the truth is that every single one is different. I approach every competition in the same way, with a lot of joy and optimism. If I sat here and said that I had already achieved everything, then what would be the point of carrying on?
How do you prepare for a new season?
I usually start training from home, and that usually involves runs, cycling, Nordic walking, so two-three-hour excursions, which build up my fitness before I start the specialist training.
How good are the training facilities at home?
We’ve had a ski jump in Wisła Malinka for about a year and two smaller ski jumps being developed in Szczyrk, which gives us a cool base for ski jumpers. In fact we have competitors coming here from other countries to train. As for physical preparation, the gyms may not have state of the art equipment but we have what we need, which gives us a very good base.
Have you changed your training routine over the years?
Definitely, the training method I use with Hannu is different from other coaches. The biggest novelty is exercising with a load. I had a special ski suit made with an extra five kilos built in it. I did all my training in it, so when I take out the extra weight, I’m jumping with five kilos less.
You are a national hero in Poland. But the media interest in you seems to be a mixed blessing.
When I first won the World Cup, there was a frenzy and I was just an unassuming boy from Wisła. It was a nightmare. One time I ended up hiding in a wardrobe. Because our house was always open, the reporters could just walk in and ask about something. And they had cameras too. What do you do when you are sitting in one room and people with cameras are asking about you in the kitchen? The only place I could get away was the wardrobe!
What was the worst it got for you?
The most difficult period for me was the Olympics in Nagano, where I wasn’t in good form at all but I had won the pre-Olympics trial a year earlier. But I was actually the worst of the Polish team and it was a big disappointment. Some papers said it was because of my wife and daughter. When I got married, my jumps got 10 meters shorter and when my daughter was born, my jumps got 20 meters shorter.
That must have been hard on your family…
…my wife was crying and saying that it [my performance] was because of her. When I came back I said I would finish my career. There was no cash, there was no scholarship and I didn’t do well in the Olympics, so I was to go back to being a panel beater and roofer. I had no problem with this. In fact even now, when something needs doing around the house, I do it myself.
But my family persuaded me to try again. I got a new management and coaching team and a new chapter started, I got my head down and followed their instructions. In 1996 and 1997 I won the World Cup a couple of times and suddenly it was easier.
Is it fair to say that journalists aren’t your favourite people?
Well I used to agree to every interview to be as helpful as I could but sometimes I’d still be talking to the press two or three hours after I finished competing. I would be standing outside and freezing because I wanted to let everybody interview me. When I learnt to say that I am a sportsman not a showman, life got a lot easier.
And what about fans? What’s your relationship like with them?
I think it’s very good. During competitions I am aware that the fans demand a lot, they want autographs and photos, so I have one rule which is that I will come to see them after competitions or training. They don’t always understand but I have to be consistent. It’s difficult but it’s how I have to do it.
What makes the Olympics so special?
Apart from being the biggest trophy in sport, it doesn’t always follow its own rules, so there can often be surprises, especially in ski jumping. Every competitor prepares especially hard for the Games, but there are other competitions and you can never take it easy in an Olympic year. You can’t just tell yourself “I will only make an effort in the Olympics”, because it is simply not possible. When you stand at the in-run, you give it your 100% every time because you want to, because you want to win. That’s why you practice these sports, to be the best.
If you weren’t a ski jumper, what would you be?
The first thing that comes to my mind is football but it is hard to say whether I’d have been good at it.
The ski flying world championship is being held in Planica, Slovenia, this weekend.
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