Ingemar Stenmark won everything.
But one competition stands out.
When he revealed his personal favorite of all the countless victories, many were surprised.
Even as a child he started winning competitions, Ingemar Stenmark. He was perhaps not as superior as one might have imagined, but there was something that he had that no one else had; a completely unique and unsurpassed winner’s skull.
Incredible career
Ingemar Stenmark trained harder than everyone else, and didn’t give up until he was the best, and it paid off. Ingemar Stenmark broke through early and became all of Sweden’s favorite athlete once he broke through. He had his big break in 1974 when he won his first World Cup race in Italy’s Madonna di Campiglio. And that was just the beginning of one of the most powerful sports careers Sweden has ever seen.
Stenis won a whopping 86 World Cup victories – more than anyone else ever – and had a whopping 155 podiums. Add to that the fact that he won 2 Olympic golds and 3 World Cup golds, and there would have been even more if the rules hadn’t been changed, just to stop his incredible dominance. Stenmark is the biggest in the skiing world, and when you talk about Swedish athletes, there are many arguments that point to him being the biggest in all categories.
READ MORE: When Ingemar Stenmark made an unexpected joke – and shocked everyone around the dinner table: “That’s why you are so…”
Reveals the favorite win
As I said, Stenis won everything that can be won, and if you were to guess which of all his victories is his favorite, many would probably guess the first in the World Cup, or an Olympic win. But that is not the case. When GT asked the legend, he snubbed all the wins in adulthood, and instead chose the School Championships for Tärnaby 963.
– I was seven years old when I experienced my happiest moment as a slalom skier. I had skied faster than all my classmates, and as a prize received a small plaque with a skier on it, said Stenmark.
In second place, Stenmark chose the win in the Donald Duck final in Duved in 1964. First in fourth place, Stenmark chose a competition in senior age, and then the first victory in the World Cup. In fifth place, Stenis chose the Olympic gold in slalom and giant slalom in Lake Placid in 1980.
READ MORE: When Ingemar Stenmark wrote blue-and-yellow sports history with the bizarre stroke of genius – crushed all skaters with a full trick(!)