Katja Seizinger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Katja Seizinger

Alpine skier
Seizinger on a stamp from Azerbaijan
Disciplines	Downhill, super-G, Giant slalom, slalom, combined
Club	Ski Club Halblech
Born	(1972-05-10) 10 May 1972 (age 53) Datteln, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
World Cup debut	10 December 1989 (age 17)
Retired	April 1999 – (age 26)
Olympics
Teams	3 – (1992, 1994, 1998)
Medals	5 (3 gold)
World Championships
Teams	4 – (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997)
Medals	4 (1 gold)
World Cup
Seasons	9 – (1990–1998)
Wins	36 – (16 DH, 16 SG, 4 GS)
Podiums	76
Overall titles	2 – (1996, 1998)
Discipline titles	9 – (4 DH, 5 SG)
Medal record Women's alpine skiing Representing Germany World Cup race podiums Event 1st 2nd 3rd Slalom 0 0 1 Giant slalom 4 4 6 Downhill 16 8 8 Super-G 16 8 3 Combined 0 1 1 International competitions Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 3 0 2 World Championships 1 3 0 World Junior Championships 1 4 1 Olympic Games Gold 1994 Lillehammer Downhill Gold 1998 Nagano Downhill Gold 1998 Nagano Combined Bronze 1992 Albertville Super-G Bronze 1998 Nagano Giant slalom World Championships Gold 1993 Morioka Super-G Silver 1996 Sierra Nevada Downhill Silver 1997 Sestriere Super-G Silver 1997 Sestriere Combined Junior World Ski Championships Gold 1990 Zinal Super-G Silver 1989 Alyeska Super-G Silver 1990 Zinal Downhill Silver 1990 Zinal Giant slalom Silver 1990 Zinal Combined Bronze 1989 Alyeska Giant slalom

Katja Seizinger (born May 10, 1972) is a former German alpine ski racer who became one of the greatest champions in the sport's history. She is known as the most successful alpine skier from her country, winning many medals and titles throughout her career.

A Skiing Superstar

Born in Datteln, West Germany, Katja Seizinger was a master of the speed events in alpine skiing. These include the Downhill, the fastest event, and the Super-G, which combines speed with technical turns.

Throughout the 1990s, she was one of the top skiers in the world. She won three gold medals at the Olympic Games and became the first woman ever to win the same Olympic event back-to-back. She achieved this by winning the Downhill race in both 1994 and 1998.

Her amazing talent earned her Germany's "Sportswoman of the Year" award three times. Sadly, her career ended after she injured both of her knees while training in 1998. She retired from professional skiing in April 1999 at the age of 26.

World Cup Dominance

The World Cup is a season-long competition to find the best skier across many races. Katja Seizinger was incredibly successful in the World Cup.

• Overall Champion: She won the overall World Cup title twice, in 1996 and 1998. This means she was the best female skier in the world in those years.
• Discipline Titles: She was a specialist in speed. She won the season title for Downhill four times and the Super-G title five times.
• Race Wins: In total, she won 36 World Cup races. She won 16 in Downhill, 16 in Super-G, and 4 in Giant slalom.

World Championship Performances

The World Championships are a major event held every two years where skiers compete for medals. Katja won four medals at these championships.

Olympic Glory

The Olympic Rings

The Olympic Games are the biggest stage for any athlete. Katja Seizinger competed in three Winter Olympics and won a total of five medals, including three golds.

• 1992 Albertville: She won a bronze medal in the Super-G.
• 1994 Lillehammer: She won her first Olympic gold medal in the Downhill.
• 1998 Nagano: This was her most successful Olympics. She won gold in the Downhill again, another gold in the Combined event, and a bronze in the Giant Slalom.

See also

In Spanish: Katja Seizinger para niños

• List of FIS Alpine Ski World Cup women's race winners