The recent downhill skiing event at the Saalbach World Championships has been a thrilling experience for participants and spectators alike. Following Marco Odermatt’s impressive performance in the Super-G, where he secured gold with a second advantage, attention shifted to his participation in the downhill event. Only a few skiers, including Vincent Kriechmayr, Bode Miller, and Hermann Maier, have achieved the impressive feat of winning both the Super-G and downhill events in the same edition.
In the history of the World Championships, only four skiers have successfully defended their title: the Swiss Rossi, the French Killy, the Austrian Sailer, and the Italian Colo. However, this time around, it was Franjo von Allmen from Switzerland who took the gold, accompanied by Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr and Swiss Alexis Monney on the podium.
The event kicked off with Italian Mattia Casse launching the race, followed by the Swiss Navy taking the lead. The top position changed hands several times, with the French Nils Allegre, Swiss Alexis Monney, and Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr all vying for the top spot. The morning was marked by intense competition, with each skier pushing themselves to achieve the best time possible.
As the competition progressed, the lead continued to change, with each skier striving to outdo the others. Eventually, it was Swiss skier Von Allmen who secured the top spot, with Odermatt waiting anxiously to see if he could defend his title. Unfortunately, Odermatt was unable to achieve the feat, finishing outside the medal positions.
With Von Allmen’s victory, Switzerland secured its fifteenth gold medal in the men’s downhill event, bringing the country’s total to 23 years with the most gold medals. The event concluded with Switzerland taking the lead in the overall standings, thanks to Odermatt and Von Allmen’s impressive performances. The World Championships will resume on Tuesday with the women’s team combined event.