Ski jumping’s first female Olympic champion
Germany’s Carina Vogt achieved a little piece of history at Sochi 2014, soaring to the gold medal in the inaugural women’s Olympic ski jumping competition.
Learning the trade
Born in Schwäbisch Gmünd in south west Germany, Carina Vogt was only 12 when she took part in her first international ski jumping competition, a summertime FIS event held in Meinerzhagen (GER) in 2004. With the FIS Women’s World Cup yet to get up and running, in 2006 she joined the Continental Cup circuit and was soon confirming her international credentials. She finished fourth in the 2007 Junior World Championship, following up with fifth place in 2010 and eighth in 2011.
In April 2011, the IOC Executive Board added women’s ski jumping to the Olympic Winter Games programme, in time for its inclusion at Sochi 2014. Meanwhile, the Women’s World Cup finally came into existence in the 2011/12 season, and by the time the Sochi Games came around Vogt had claimed four third places and four seconds.
History maker
Held on 11 February 2014 on the RusSki Gorski HS106 hill, the inaugural Olympic women’s ski jumping competition proved to be a thrilling event, holding millions of viewers around the world in thrall. After jumping 103m to take a first-round lead, the 22-year-old Vogt held her nerve in the second, landing a 97.5m jump for a combined total of 247.4 points, which gave her the gold by just 1.2 points from Austrian veteran Daniela Iraschko-Stolz. France’s Coline Mattel finished just behind in third, with red-hot favourite Sara Takahashi of Japan taking fourth place.
An incredible feeling
On seeing her name atop the leaderboard as she glided into the finish area, Vogt broke down in tears. “I cannot find the right words,” she said, her sense of disbelief heightened by the fact that she had not been among the favourites for gold. “I wouldn't have thought it was possible three hours ago. It's amazing: I'm the first women’s Olympic champion in ski jumping. It’s unbelievable
”Given 24 hours to digest her achievements, she added: “I stayed focused and made sure I kept my mind on the job in hand, but things went crazy after my two jumps. It was an incredible feeling down there. It felt like ages before I finally saw my name come up as the winner.”
A place in the pantheon
A police officer by trade, Vogt is now one of the leading figures on the women’s ski jumping scene. Having assured her place in the history of her sport, she will now be vying for World Cup and world championship success en route to defending her Olympic title at Pyeongchang 2018.
