With a historic win on the World Cup circuit this season, double Olympic champion Kamil Stoch is in peak form as he aims to defend his ski jumping titles at the Pyeongchang Games.
Stoch won his second straight Four Hills tournament in Bischofshofen, Austria, on Jan. 6 to become only the second ski jumper in the long history of the sport to win all four stages of the prestigious event.
Germany’s Sven Hannawald is the only other ski jumper to achieve the feat, winning all four stages 16 years ago. Stoch also won the Four Hills in 2017 when he was first in just one of the four stages.
FILE – In this Jan. 5, 2018, file photo, Poland’s Kamil Stoch makes his trial jump at the ski jump in Bischofshofen, Austria, the fourth stage of the Four Hills Ski Jumping event. With an historic win on the World Cup circuit, double Olympic champion Kamil Stoch is in peak form as he aims to defend his ski jumping titles at the Pyeongchang Games. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson, File)
The 30-year-old Pole won both the normal and large hill events at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, adding to his world title on the large hill a year before.
When Stoch won double gold in Sochi, he became just the third man to do so. Matti Nykanen of Finland won both golds in 1988. Switzerland’s Simon Ammann won two golds in 2002 and 2010.
Here’s some of what to know going into ski jumping at the Pyeongchang Games:
MEDAL FAVORITES: Slovenia’s Peter Prevc won silver on the normal hill and bronze on the large hill in Sochi. While he has struggled this year on the World Cup circuit he will be banking on experience that includes winning the 2016 World Cup and the 2016 Four Hills.
Germany’s Richard Freitag has three World Cup wins so far this season but fell during the Innsbruck stop of the Four Hills and suffered a hip injury that could jeopardize his Olympic medal hopes.
Andreas Wellinger of Germany has been on the podium five times this season and will also be a strong medal contender.
RISING STARS: Daniel Andre Tande. The 23-year-old has three World Cup wins overall and has performed well this season with three podium finishes. The Norwegian finished second at the Innsbruck stage of the Four Hills and could be set for a breakthrough in Pyeongchang.
POTENTIAL RECORD SETTERS: Another jumper to keep an eye on in Pyeongchang will be ageless wonder Noriaki Kasai. Known as “Legend Kasai” in his native Japan, the 45-year-old will be competing in his eighth consecutive Olympics.
Kasai would become the sole record-holder for most Winter Olympic appearances if he competes in Pyeongchang. He currently shares the record with Russian luger Albert Demchenko.
Kasai made his Olympic debut at the 1992 Albertville Games in France, and has appeared at every event since. He has earned three medals, including team silver at Lillehammer in 1994, and silver for the large hill and team bronze at Sochi.
He is the oldest Olympic ski jumping medalist and the oldest ski jumping World Cup individual event winner.
BEST RIVALRY: Germany edged out Austria in the team event four years ago and the two ski jumping rivals should provide some fireworks again this year along with powerhouse Norway.
The ski jumping competition will take place at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre, which is located in the Pyeongchang Mountain Cluster.
___
More AP Olympic coverage: https://wintergames.ap.org
FILE – In this Jan. 4, 2018, file photo, Poland’s Kamil Stoch soars through the air during the trial jump at the third stage of the four hills ski jumping tournament in Innsbruck, Austria. With an historic win on the World Cup circuit, double Olympic champion Stoch is in peak form as he aims to defend his ski jumping titles at the Pyeongchang Games. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson, File)
FILE – In this Jan. 4, 2018, file photo, Poland’s Kamil Stoch celebrates after winning the third stage of the Four Hills Ski Jumping event at the ski jump in Innsbruck, Austria. With an historic win on the World Cup circuit, double Olympic champion Stoch is in peak form as he aims to defend his ski jumping titles at the Pyeongchang Games. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
FILE – In this Jan. 6, 2018, file photo, Poland’s overall winner Kamil Stoch lifts the trophy after the winning ceremony for the Four Hills Ski Jumping event at the ski jump in Bischofshofen, Austria. With an historic win on the World Cup circuit, double Olympic champion Kamil Stoch is in peak form as he aims to defend his ski jumping titles at the Pyeongchang Games. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.