Always Attack, Hold Nothing Back

There are so many great stories at the Olympics of athletes who overcame injuries and returned to their sports. Sometimes that determination is rewarded with a spot on the podium, sometimes it isn’t.

Enter the story of Norway’s super-G gold medalist Aksel Lund Svindal.

In November 2007, Svindal crashed hard during a training run at Beaver Creek and, to quote his NBC bio, “suffered multiple facial fractures (caused partly by impact with his knees), injuries to his ribs and back and an 8-inch deep laceration in the abdominal region (caused by his ski)."

He was taken to the Vail Valley Medical Center where the skier underwent a four-hour emergency medical procedure. The operation involved opening him up further to ensure that his internal organs had not become infected. He lost more than 30 pounds of muscle mass during the five months it took him to return to the slopes. The next time he skied Beaver Creek, he won.

Now at the Vancouver Olympics it would seem the 27-year-old Svindal is peaking at the right time. He's taken the silver in downhill and the gold in super-G (watch), and he still has the super-combined, giant slalom, and slalom.

``It's been a lot of work getting to where I need to be for winning races,'' Svindal said, "[the] downhill result took the pressure off."

``I felt like it was the last thing I was thinking at the start gate - 'You already have a silver and it can only get better, so enjoy this and give it all you have. Don't hold anything back.'''

Svindal, starting at No. 19, eight places after Miller, trailed the American by 0.30 second at the first time split but made up the difference and had a 0.02 lead at the halfway point. He extended his lead along the bottom half of the course.

The big Norwegian was clocked at 114.8 kph (71.3 mph) at a speed check where Miller went through at 100.9 kph (62.7 mph).

“It was good but it’s hard to talk about perfect,” Svindal said, adding that he felt he had been "chasing the game this season after injury and illness".

“I made one mistake. I heard Bode was leading and Weibrecht was in third and those guys don’t slow down – they go hard. It shows you just have to attack. I’m lucky I already have silver so it can only get better, you just have to have fun, enjoy the race, always attack."

“I prepared well. I’m in top form and am just enjoying it.”