The "Blitz from Kitz" was the first skier at the olympic games to win all three Alpine skiing events (downhill, slalom and giant slalom), at the 1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo. He was the fifth athlete to win three gold medals in the same Winter Olympic Games.
He won four more gold medals in world championships before he retired in 1959. Between 1957 and 1971 he appeared in a handful of movies, most of them shallow comedies at least partly set in Alpine regions, with Sailer showing off his talent.
Toni Sailer in 2004, announcing his candidature
In January 2004 Sailer, although not associated with any political party, announced that he would run for Mayor of Kitzbühel. A few weeks later he withdrew his candidature, saying he had only now realised that being Mayor was a full-time job.
ToniSailer of Austria was the first Alpine skier to win three gold medals.
Less than 15 minutes before it was his turn to head down the course, Sailer tightened the straps that tied his boots to his skis -and one of the straps broke.
Sailer survived one near spill and won the race by 3 ½ seconds.
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