Ulrich Wehling facts for kids
 Wehling in 1976 |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's nordic combined | ||
Representing  East Germany |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1972 Sapporo | Individual |
| Gold | 1976 Innsbruck | Individual |
| Gold | 1980 Lake Placid | Individual |
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 1974 Falun | Individual |
| Bronze | 1978 Lahti | Individual |
Ulrich Wehling was a fantastic German skier. He was born on July 8, 1952, in Halle, Germany. He became famous for winning the nordic combined event at the Winter Olympics three times in a row! This happened in 1972, 1976, and 1980.
The nordic combined is a winter sport that mixes two different events: ski jumping and cross-country skiing. Athletes first do ski jumps, and then they race in cross-country skiing. The person with the best combined score wins.
Ulrich Wehling was the first man ever to win three gold medals in the same event at the Winter Olympics. This was a truly amazing achievement in sports history!
He also won two medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. He earned a gold medal in 1974 and a bronze medal in 1978. Wehling was also very successful at the Holmenkollen ski festival in Norway. He won the nordic combined event there for three years straight, from 1975 to 1977. Because of his many successes, he received the special Holmenkollen medal in 1976.
After he stopped competing, Wehling continued to be involved in skiing. He became the Race Director for the nordic combined events at the FIS. This means he helps organize and run the races. He held this important role for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo, Japan. Today, Ulrich Wehling lives in Switzerland.
Ulrich Wehling's Early Career
Ulrich Wehling showed great talent in skiing from a young age. He quickly became one of the top athletes in his sport.
Junior Champion
In 1971, Ulrich Wehling became the junior European champion. This was a big step in his career, showing he was ready for bigger competitions.
National Successes
Wehling also won several national championships in his home country. He was the German Democratic Republic (GDR) master in the nordic combined event for many years.
- 1975 GDR master
- 1976 GDR master
- 1977 GDR master
- 1978 GDR master
- 1979 GDR master
