Imagen
Slovakia's Jakub Krako on the course in Sochi

Jakub Krako

Alpine Skiing
5
5

Throughout his career Jakub Krako has achieved his best results at Paralympic Winter Games. He is someone who enjoys tough challenges and performs better when he competes on the biggest stage of all.

At PyeongChang 2018, the Slovakian once again stood out by winning one gold and three silvers in the men´s vision impaired alongside guide Branislav Brozman. He also ended second in the season´s overall World Cup standings.

One year before, he won one silver and one bronze at the World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy.

It was on Italian soil that Krako competed at his first Paralympic Winter Games at just 15-years-old in Torino, in 2006. Despite leaving without a medal, he gained necessary experience ahead of the following competitions. The best was yet to come.

In 2010, Krako took three Paralympic golds in the men´s giant slalom, slalom and super-combined visually impaired in Vancouver, Canada. He followed that up with silver in the super-G.

His success boosted his confidence and, in 2011, he won gold in the slalom at the World Championships in Sestriere, Italy.

Krako could not reach the podium at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships in La Molina, Spain, and Panorama, Canada, respectively, but showed he was again at his best at the Paralympics, this time in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. There, the Slovakian claimed gold in the super-G and silver in the slalom.

Biography

Impairment information

Type of Impairment
Vision impairment
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
B2
Guide
Branislav Brozman, SVK

Further personal information

Family
Wife Andrejka, son Leo [2018], daughter Sarloka [2020]
Residence
Prievidza, SVK
Languages
English, German, Slovak
Higher education
Business - University of Economics in Bratislava: Slovakia

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?
He began skiing in 1998 at the Remata ski resort in Raztocno, Slovakia.
Why this sport?
"It is fast and dangerous, so why not?"
Name of coach
Roman Petrik [national], SVK; Martin Makovnik [national], SVK

General interest

Hobbies
Sport. (Facebook page, 12 Nov 2018)
Injuries
In November 2019 he injured a ligament in his right knee and required two operations. (sport.aktuality.sk, 21 May 2020; sport.sme.sk, 06 Apr 2020)

He injured his left knee at the 2015 NorAm Cup event in Kimberley, BC, Canada. Doctors advised him the injury was not serious and he went on to compete the following week at the 2015 World Championships in Panorama, BC, Canada. On his return to Slovakia an MRI scan showed he had torn a ligament at the front of the knee. He underwent surgery in June 2015, and did not return to the slopes until July 2016. (IPC, 10 Feb 2018; paralympic.org, 06 Jun 2017; spv.sk, 23 Mar 2016; paralympic.org, 05 Nov 2015)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Go as fast as possible, and then faster." (Athlete, 08 Mar 2014)
Awards and honours
He was flag bearer for Slovakia at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. (sportky.zoznam.sk, 07 Mar 2014)
Milestones
He became the first Slovak male athlete to claim gold at the Paralympic Winter Games by winning the visually impaired super combined event at the 2010 Games in Vancouver. Later in the Games he also triumphed in the slalom and giant slalom. (SportsDeskOnline, 16 Nov 2018; jakubkrako.com, 01 Apr 2018; sazps.sk, 02 Mar 2018)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (spv.sk, 06 Nov 2020)
Impairment
He has Stargardt disease, an inherited condition that affects vision. He was diagnosed at age six. (smesirovni.sk, 20 Nov 2019; IPC, 10 Feb 2018; Athlete, 08 Mar 2014)

Results

Unit Date Rank
Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games (Torino, Italy)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Super-G Visually impaired Final Round 6
Men's Slalom Visually impaired Final Round 9999
Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games (Vancouver, Canada)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Slalom Visually impaired Final Round 1
Men's Downhill Visually impaired Final Round 4
Men's Super-G Visually impaired Final Round 2
Men's Super Combined Visually impaired Final Round 1
Men's Giant Slalom Visually impaired Final Round 1
IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships (Kangwonland, South Korea)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Slalom VI Final 2009-02-20 1
Men's Giant Slalom VI Final 2009-02-21 2
Men's Super-G VI Final 2009-02-23 3
Men's Super-Combined VI Final 2009-02-23 2
Men's Super-G VI Run 2 2009-02-24 6
Men's Downhill VI Final 2009-02-28 5
2011 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships (Sestriere, Italy)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Downhill VI Final 2011-01-16 5
Men's Super-G VI Final 2011-01-18 4
Men's Super-Combined VI Final 2011-01-19 2
Men's Slalom VI Final 2011-01-20 1
Men's Giant Slalom VI Final 2011-01-21 2
Mixed Team Event VI/Sitting/Standing Final 2011-01-23 3
IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships (La Molina, Spain)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Downhill VI Race 1 2013-02-20 14
Men's Super-G VI Race 1 2013-02-21 10
Men's Slalom VI Race 1 2013-02-24 5
Men's Super-Combined VI Race 1 2013-02-25 9999
Men's Giant Slalom VI Race 1 2013-02-26 4
Paralympic Winter Games 2014 (Sochi, Russia)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Downhill Visually Impaired Final Round 2014-03-08 4
Men's Super-G Visually Impaired Final Round 2014-03-09 1
Men's Slalom Visually Impaired Final Round 2014-03-13 9999
Men's Super Combined Visually Impaired Final Round 2014-03-14 9999
Men's Giant Slalom Visually Impaired Final Round 2014-03-15 2
2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships Panorama (Panorama, Canada)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Super-G VI Race 1 2015-03-05 12
Men's Giant Slalom VI Race 1 2015-03-08 7
2017 IPC Alpine skiing World Championships Tarvisio, ITA (Tarvisio, Italy)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Downhill VI Race 1 2017-01-25 4
Men's Super-G VI Race 1 2017-01-26 2
Men's Super-Combined VI Race 1 2017-01-28 3
Men's Giant Slalom VI Race 1 2017-01-30 9999
Men's Slalom VI Race 1 2017-01-31 3
Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Downhill Visually Impaired Final 2018-03-10 2
Men's Super-G Visually Impaired Final 2018-03-11 1
Men's Super Combined Visually Impaired Final 2018-03-13 9999
Men's Giant Slalom Visually Impaired Final 2018-03-14 2
Men's Slalom Visually Impaired Final 2018-03-17 2
Kranjska Gora/Sella Nevea 2019 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships (Kranjska Gora/Sella Nevea, Slovenia)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Men's Giant Slalom VI Race 1 2019-01-21 6
Men's Slalom VI Race 1 2019-01-23 9999
Men's Downhill VI Race 1 2019-01-30 3
Men's Super-Combined VI Race 1 2019-01-31 2
Men's Super-G VI Race 1 (from SC) 2019-01-31 2