Franz Klammer
Austria
Alpine Skiing
B: December 3, 1953
1976 Olympic Downhill Champion
Winner of eight of the nine downhill races on the World Cup tour in 1975, Klammer was the heavy favorite at the 1976 Olympics but faced stiff competition from defending Olympic champion Bernhard Russi of Switzerland. Skiing last of the fifteen seeded skiers, Klammer gave one of the most thrilling performances in the history of the Olympic Games. Partway down the run he trailed Russi by a fraction of a second, but he skied with such wild abandon over the final 1,000 meters that he seemed always on the verge of a dangerous fall. When he crossed the finish line he had won the gold by only one-third of a second. Holder of the World Cup downhill title from 1975 to 1978 and again in 1983, Klammer also won a gold medal in the combined and a silver medal in the downhill at the 1974 world championships. Klammer did not finish the giant slalom in Innsbruck, and was not chosen to represent Austria at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Klammer was named Austrian sportsman of the year in 1981, and competed again at the 1984 Olympic Games, finishing tenth. He finished his career with 25 World Cup downhill wins and one win in combined.
SUPERSTARS RECORD
EVENT |
PLACE | POINTS | MONEY | EVENT WINS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 European Heat 3 | 4 |
41 1/2 |
$1,500 |
Gym Test, Cycling |
| 1977 Preliminary 3 | 2 |
41 1/3 |
$9,133 |
Rowing, Half Mile Run, Bike Race |
| 1978 Preliminary 1 | 2 |
51 |
$10,100 |
100 Yard Dash, Half Mile Run, Bike Race, Obstacle Course |
| TOTALS | 133 5/6 |
$20,733 |
9 |
PERSONAL BESTS
| Table Tennis |
5th |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Gym Test - Parallel Bar Dips | 20 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Gym Test - Squat Thrusts | 62 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Weight Lifting | 200 |
1977 Preliminary 3 |
| Shooting (out of 50) | 32 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Soccer Penalties (out of 5) | 2 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Soccer Test | 0 - 54.4 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Bowling | 149 |
1977 Preliminary 3 |
| Rowing | 38.94 |
1977 Preliminary 3 |
| Kayaking - 125 Meters | 47.0 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| 100 Yard Dash | 11.47 |
1977 Preliminary 3 |
| 100 Meter Dash | 12.4 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Cycling - 470 Meters |
43.0 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Bike Race - 1/2 Mile | 1:11.41 |
1978 Preliminary 1 |
| Bike Race - Mile | 2:37.56 |
1977 Preliminary 3 |
| 600 Meter Steeplechase |
1:43.0 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Half Mile Run | 2:12.65 |
1977 Preliminary 3 |
| Obstacle Course | 26.39 |
1978 Preliminary 1 |
| Points Scored (8 of 10 events) |
41 1/2 |
1976 European Heat 3 |
| Points Scored | 51 |
1978 Preliminary 1 |