Gerd Gradwohl
Gerd Gradwohl (born January 16, 1960 in Kempten (Allgäu) ) is the first visually impaired German alpine skier to win a gold medal at the Paralympics .
Gerd Gradwohl, who has a vision of 1/50, has competed in ski races for the German Paralympic Ski Team (DPS) since the winter of 1999/2000. He was visually impaired by macular degeneration and glaucoma . He has lived in Kempten since October 2006 and runs a physiotherapy practice together with his wife Nada .
Sporting successes
With its accompanying runner Karl-Heinz Vachenauer from mountains in Upper Bavaria he succeeded at the 2006 Winter Paralympics victory in the downhill race on the track in Sestriere - Borgata . In the Super-G there was a controversial disqualification and the withdrawal of the second gold medal because Karl-Heinz Vachenauer was too far from Karl-Heinz Vachenauer by about 1-2 meters. The duo won a bronze medal in the slalom.
At the 2009 World Cup in Korea, despite an injury in the Super-G, the World Cup downhill title was achieved three days earlier. In the World Cup Finals in Vancouver afterwards a victory was achieved which meant the overall World Cup Downhill in the 2008/9 season.
During the preparations for the Paralympics in March 2010, there was a serious injury with a spiral fracture in the right lower leg. Despite the serious injury, the rehabilitation was successful up to the Paralympics in March 2010. There Gradwohl & Vachenauer were able to win a bronze medal in the downhill. After the Paralympics, Gerd Gradwohl ended his skiing career. Karl-Heinz Vachenauer stayed with the team as a service man.
Gerd Gradwohl is also a two-time winner of the silver laurel leaf, was made an honorary athlete from Mainz, received the Bavarian Sports Prize in 2010 and was athlete of the year in 2006 and 2010 in Kempten.
His practice for physiotherapy has received several awards for professional success with disabled people in Bavaria.
Further stations
World Cup gold in the downhill 2009 in Korea, gold overall classification downhill 2008/9 in the IPC World Cup, bronze Paralympics 2010 in Vancouver.
Awards
Silver Laurel 2006 and 2010, Bavarian Sports Prize 2009, Sportsman of the Year in Kempten 2006 and 2009.
Web links
- Athlete of the day: Gerd Gradwohl (alpine skiing) on the side of the German Olympic Sports Confederation.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Olympians receive the Silver Laurel Leaf, DOSB of May 17, 2010
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Well, Gerd |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German alpine skier and Paralympic winner |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 16, 1960 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kempten (Allgäu) |