Golden boy: Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen given hero’s welcome
Skier Franjo von Allmen was welcomed back to his home in the Bernese Oberland on Friday after his triple success at the Olympic Games. The whole of Boltigen was on its feet to celebrate the gold medallist in the downhill, super-G and team combined.
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In the marquee, sports reporter Rainer Maria Salzgeber welcomed the audience and guided them through the ceremony. Hundreds watched the event on the big screen in front of the marquee.
On stage with their role model were children and young people from the youth section of the local ski club. After his return from the Olympic Games in Italy, von Allmen took the opportunity to take part in a club race and compete with the Simmental three-cheese skiers.
+ Olympics: Swiss von Allmen continues golden streak with Super‑G win
In his down-to-earth and mischievous manner, the 24-year-old answered the sports reporter’s questions. A school choir performed a specially written song for the ski racer, who was visibly moved. When asked whether he had been a good pupil, he became somewhat embarrassed. He was okay, “but I probably didn’t do too much,” he admitted.
In the Boltigen region, numerous houses and barns were decorated with congratulatory banners. “Bravo Franjo” could be read, for example, and Olympic rings hastily painted on sheets could be seen.
Dream career
The 24-year-old has had a dream career in ski racing. The Simmental boy gained his first skiing experience on the Jaun Pass, a small ski area in the foothills of the Alps on the border between cantons Bern and Fribourg.
It was only gradually that a career as a ski racer began to take shape. The sudden death of his father put the 17-year-old to the test. His skiing career was hanging by a thread, not least for financial reasons. However, crowdfunding kept the young ski racer and trained carpenter on course.
He repaid the support with successes. After FIS and European Cup races, von Allmen was given his first opportunity to compete in the World Cup in Aspen, US, in March 2023. He finished in 46th place.
Three years later, the man from Boltig is a double world champion and three-time Olympic champion and is one of the most successful ski racers in the world.
It is said that he owes his first name Franjo, which is rather exotic by Simmental standards, to a neighbour of the von Allmen family. The sonorous name appealed to father von Allmen. Because the first name is very popular in Croatia, the Simmental has a large fan base there. Franjo is the Slavic diminutive of Franz.
In Switzerland, von Allmen has also long had a fan club. His fans call themselves “Franatics”. When it was founded in 2022, the club had 13 members; today it has around 1,600.
Adapted from German by AI/ts
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