Amazing Ammann wins second gold

Ammann soars into the history books Keystone

Swiss ski jumper Simon Ammann has completed one of the most amazing stories in Winter Olympic history by winning his second gold medal in four days.

After stunning the world with his victory in Sunday’s normal hill event, the 20-year-old from St Gallen on Wednesday completed an unbelievable double by once again outjumping Polish superstar Adam Malysz and Germany’s Sven Hannewald in the large hill discipline.

Ammann is only the second ski jumper ever to win gold in both disciplines at the same Olympics, a feat matched only by Finnish legend Matti Nykänen at the Calgary Games of 1988.

Following Wednesday’s opening jump Ammann found himself in joint top position after both he and Hannewald recorded jumps of 132.5 metres.

In the decisive second jump Ammann then managed to jump 133 metres, while Hannewald came up short, eventually having to settle for fourth place.

Malysz, who took bronze behind Ammann and Hannewald on Sunday, was able to grab the silver medal on Wednesday with Finland’s Matti Hauamaeki clinching the large hill bronze.

Unlikely hero

Having arrived in Salt Lake City as a virtual unknown, Ammann has now emerged as one of the Olympic’s most unlikely heroes.

Still juggling his ski-jumping career with his studies, the young athlete had never celebrated a major victory until these Games.

His Olympic preparations were also hampered by a nasty crash during training in January, which left Ammann with concussion, whiplash, a bruised collar bone and several cuts to his face.

With his small frame, young face and round spectacles, Ammann was already being popularised in Salt Lake as the “flying Harry Potter”. Wednesday’s large hill performance has certainly added another chapter to the Swiss jumper’s magical story.

by Mark Ledsom