Toni Sailer

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Medal record
Toni Sailer
Toni Sailer
Men's Alpine skiing
Competitor for  Austria
Olympic Games
Gold 1956 Cortina Downhill
Gold 1956 Cortina Slalom
Gold 1956 Cortina Giant Slalom
World Championships
Gold 1958 Bad Gastein Downhill
Gold 1958 Bad Gastein Giant Slalom
Gold 1958 Bad Gastein Combined
Silver 1958 Bad Gastein Slalom

Anton Engelbert "Toni" Sailer (born November 17, 1935, in Kitzbühel, Austria) is a former alpine ski racer, considered among the best ever in the sport's history.

Nicknamed "Blitz from Kitz", Sailer was the first skier at the Winter Olympics to win all three alpine skiing events, taking gold in the downhill, slalom, and giant slalom at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. He was the fifth athlete to win three gold medals in the same Olympic games.

Two years later, Sailer won three gold medals and one silver at the four-event 1958 World Championships in Bad Gastein, Austria. He retired from competition in 1959; from 1957-71, 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. From 1972-76, he was chief trainer and technical director of the Austrian Skiing Association (ÖSV).

For his contribution to the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee awarded him the Olympic Order in 1985.

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 realized that being mayor was a full-time job.

In 2006 he announced his retirement as chief of race of the Hahnenkamm Race, a position which he had occupied for 20 years.

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Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Flag of Austria Gerhard Hanappi
Austrian Sportsman of the Year
1956 – 1958
Succeeded by
Flag of Austria Karl Schranz
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