Thomas
Morgenstern
Austria
·
Ski Jumping
Date of birth | 30 October 1986 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Spittal an der Drau, Austria |
Age | 39 |
Nationality | Austria |
Career start | 2002 |
Disciplines | Aerobatic airshows / Ski Jumping/Flying |
When Thomas Morgenstern decided to retire in 2014, he brought an end to a remarkable career that included 23 individual World Cup wins, two World Cup overall titles, eight World Championship gold medals and three Winter Olympic gold medals. Rightfully viewed as one of the all-time greats, his initial victories came when he was just 16 years old.
A decade of dominance
His first World Cup win was secured in Liberec, Czechia in 2003 and just a few months later, he helped the Austrian team win four gold medals at the Nordic World Ski Championships.
At the 2006 Winter Games, he won both individual and team gold medals in the large hill events. He then dominated the beginning of the 2007/08 championship, winning the first six competitions, an all-time record.
Morgenstern's career continued to fly high into the 2010-11 season. He won his first Four Hills Tournament, took his first individual World Championships gold medal in Oslo, as well as two further gold medals in the team events. In 2011-2012, he achieved 22 podium finishes and added to his incredible gold medal haul with a team win at the ski flying world championships in Vikersund.
Coping with injuries
During the 2013-14 season, Morgenstern suffered two serious accidents. The first one followed a jump at the World Cup in Titisee-Neustadt, Germany, in December. He suffered several bruises, face cuts and a broken finger but still finished runner-up in the highly respected Four Hills series in January.
The Austrian then suffered a serious head injury and lung damage after a training fall in Tauplitz. "It was the hardest time of my life", he declared. "To take part in any competition and go back on the hill after what has happened was so difficult and even to think about ski jumping again was hard."
However, that didn't stop him from resuming his training after an extremely quick recovery. Team Austria came second in the men's large hill, but only after a fine effort by Morgenstern, who contributed to a nail-biting seesaw battle with Germany.
Retiring at the top
In September 2014, Morgenstern told the world, “My career ends today,” but he knows he most certainly won’t get bored. He has plenty to keep him occupied: spending time with his family, practising an array of sports, and even competing in the Helicopter World Cup. He really was born to fly!