Hermann Maier
Hermann Maier was honored on Thursday at the Sporthilfe gala for the biggest red-white-red sporting moment. An emotional moment.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Sporthilfe, the 25 biggest red-white-red sports moments were presented during the gala in the Wiener Konzerthaus. There was no discussion when it came to first place: Maier's legendary fall at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano.
A moment that visibly affected Maier. On the way to the stage, the former ski star wiped the tears from his eyes. His voice was also brittle during his brief address. Although it was already the seventh “Niki” Maier was allowed to take home. “I'm generally built close to the water. You saw that when I resigned,” said Maier with a smile.
The images of the serious fall in the Olympic Downhill flickered once more across the screen, moving Maier to tears. “What you don't do to get on television. It was so drastic, I can remember a lot of details. It was juvenile recklessness, I was way too fast,” said the now 48-year-old. Three days later, Maier returned to the slopes in Super-G and became Olympic champion. The “Herminator” was born.
“I immediately got on the ergometer. My shoulder hurt like hell, but the start was steep, I knew that I didn't have to dive in much,” said Maier, remembering his gold ride.
More red-white-red sport highlights made it onto the podium. Thomas Muster's triumph at the 1995 French Open landed in second place, just before Franz Klammer's downhill success at the 1972 Olympic Games in Innsbruck.
But was the serious fall and the Olympic gold run for Maier himself his “golden moment”? “I've had quite a few in my career, thank God. It was with me the persistence that my life should take a different direction. I was on the construction site until I was 23, and when I was 25 I was Olympic champion. There were many Things are excellent. You can be very grateful, “concluded the Flachauer.
