Hermann Maier dominates the history of alpine skiing as a symbol of pure indestructibility. Fans know him best for his spectacular crash at the Nagano Olympics, where he flew horizontally through the air before standing up to win two gold medals days later. However, his journey to the top involved far more obstacles than just icy slopes. He actually quit the sport as a teenager to work construction because his coaches thought he was too skinny. Later, he staged one of the greatest comebacks in sports history after a horrific motorcycle accident. Prepare to drop into the course with the Austrian icon.
Hermann Maier
Hermann Maier worked as a bricklayer before he became a professional skier. Coaches kicked him out of the Schladming ski academy at age fifteen because he was too small and weak. Consequently, he spent his winters teaching tourists and his summers laying bricks on construction sites.
A massive growth spurt saved his career. While working construction, he grew significantly and gained the muscle mass he previously lacked. Therefore, the skinny teenager transformed into a powerhouse capable of dominating the World Cup.
He originally caught the team’s attention as a “forerunner,” not a competitor. In 1996, he skied the Flachau course just to test the track for the real athletes. Amazingly, his time would have placed him twelfth in the actual race, which forced the Austrian coaches to give him a chance.
The world watched him fly through the air at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. During the downhill, he hit a bump at sixty-five miles per hour and launched horizontally for over one hundred feet. He landed directly on his head and shoulder, crashing through two safety fences.
Miraculously, Hermann Maier won two gold medals just three days after that crash. Despite a bruised shoulder and knee, he returned to the mountain to win the Super-G and the Giant Slalom. Thus, he proved that his body could withstand punishment that would retire most other athletes.
Arnold Schwarzenegger personally congratulated him on The Tonight Show. After the Olympics, the two Austrians appeared together with Jay Leno. Consequently, the media solidified his nickname “The Herminator” as a reference to the Terminator movies.
He holds the record for the most points in a single men’s season. In the 2000 season, he scored exactly 2000 points by winning race after race. This record stood for over a decade until Marco Odermatt finally broke it.
A motorcycle accident nearly cost him his right leg in 2001. A car hit him while he was riding home from a training session. Doctors seriously considered amputation because the damage to his lower leg was so catastrophic.
Surgeons used a fourteen-inch titanium rod to rebuild his leg. He underwent a seven-hour operation to save the limb. Therefore, he had to learn how to walk again before he could even think about putting on ski boots.
He missed the entire 2002 Winter Olympics during his recovery. While his rivals competed in Salt Lake City, he sat at home watching on television. This absence made his eventual return to the top of the podium even more emotional.
His comeback victory in 2003 remains a sporting miracle. Just nearly two years after almost losing his leg, he won the Super-G in Kitzbühel. Ideally, this victory counts as one of the greatest comebacks in the history of professional sports.
Hermann Maier raced to the South Pole in a televised competition. In 2010, he led an Austrian team against a German team in a race across Antarctica. He trekked over 250 miles on skis to reach the bottom of the world.
Unlike most skiers, he started his World Cup career very late. He did not make his debut until age twenty-three. Most champions start much younger, which makes his total of fifty-four victories even more impressive.
He cried openly during his retirement press conference. The typically stoic athlete broke down when he announced the end of his career in 2009. Thus, the world saw a rare glimpse of the emotion behind the machine-like exterior.
Finally, he works as an ambassador for nature conservation today. He uses his fame to promote environmental causes in the Austrian Alps. Consequently, the man who once conquered the mountains now works to protect them.
