PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Ingemar Stenmark is one of Swedish sports’ greatest ever.
He completely dominated his sport for so many, many years.
Among all the victories and records, there is one incomparable detail that stands out the most.
When talking about Ingemar Stenmark that’s how you talk about the great pride of Swedish sports. Nowadays, it is difficult to understand how incredibly successful and loved “Stenis” really was during his fantastic career.
Stenmark icon
The way he dominated his sport for many, many years, few other athletes in world history have done. The Swede was actually too good at slalom skiing so they were forced to change the rules to stop his incredible dominance.
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It all started on December 17, 1974 in Madonna di Campiglio, northern Italy, when a mere 17-year-old Ingemar Stenmark won his very first World Cup race. In total, there were 16 years in the World Cup and the skiing king would break all kinds of records:
• Most wins in one year with 13 in 1979.
• Longest winning streak with 14 straight in 1979-80.
• Largest margin of victory by 4.06 seconds ahead of runner-up in 1979.
• 86 World Cup wins – 46 in giant slalom, 40 in slalom and 7 overall wins in slalom and 8 overall wins in giant slalom.
• 155 podium places.
READ MORE: The superstar reveals Ingemar Stenmark’s unknown gesture – which made her drop her chin: “He doesn’t understand who he is!”
Incredible career
But there is one incomparable detail that really stands out among all the victories and records. Before the very last World Cup race of his career in Wengen, Switzerland, in 1989, Ingemar himself pointed out the extremely impressive.
– I know this much that I have won in all the countries where I have competed, he then admitted to Expressen.
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So it is about a total of eleven countries around the world that Stenmark competed in during his alpine career and the giant left no country without a victory. The favorite place was nevertheless Madonna di Campiglio where he won the most times with eight World Cup victories.
– I put my first victory in Madonna at the top of the top list in the World Cup. But I am most proud of the two Olympic gold medals in Lake Placid, said Stenis in the interview before the very last race.
READ MORE: Ingemar Stenmark’s unknown giant talent in a completely different sport – which gave him a constant advantage against his rivals
But when it was time to sum up his career on that day in 1989, the man with three World Cup golds, two Olympic golds and 86 World Cup victories also directed a clear criticism of the entire journalistic profession.
– Many times the genuine joy disappeared when the journalists asked why the margin of victory was so small. Just as it wasn’t enough to win, Stenmark told the evening newspaper.
– When I then came second or third in a competition, it was perceived as a failure. It was boring.
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