Winter Olympics Athlets Bios

Simon Ammann

Sport Ski Jumping
Event(s) Large Hill, Team, Normal Hill
Birthdate: June 29, 1981
Birthplace: Unterwasser, Switzerland
Residence: Schindellegi, Switzerland
Olympics 2002

Swiss jumper Simon Ammann surprised the competition with wins in the 95m and 120m events at the 2002 Salt Lake Games. Ammann, who had never won a medal at a World Cup or world championship event prior to the Olympics, upset Sven Hannawald of Germany and gold-medal favorite Adam Malysz of Poland on the normal hill for his first Olympic jewel. Three days later he topped Malysz and Finland's Matti Hautamaeki to capture his second title, becoming just the second ski jumper in history to win two individual gold medals at a single game. Finland's Matti Nykaenen accomplished the feat in 1988.

Ammann's success wasn't the only thing that drew attention from the media in Salt Lake, as his appearance also turned heads. The teen was quickly nicknamed Harry Potter at the Games.

The Olympic gold medalist has struggled since the 2001-02 season, finishing no better than 13th in the World Cup standings. He was 23rd last season and finished 44th on the normal hill, 27th on the large hill and 7th in the team competition at the World Championships.

Ammann started jumping when he was 11 on a 30m hill close to Underwasser. After getting a somewhat late start on the sport, the Swiss athlete admits he struggled when he first started to jump because he didn't have a lot of power in his legs, but he was always technically sound.

When he's not training, Ammann enjoys snowboarding and skiing in the winter and likes to swim and spend time on the lake with friends in the summer months. He is the third-oldest of five children and his parents, Heiri and Margit, own a small farm.