Athlete of the Year 2023 – Marco Odermatt: Another improvement – Sport

Marco Odermatt pushed the boundaries again last winter. When he won the overall World Cup for the second time, the man from Nidwalden lifted himself into seemingly unattainable spheres. The renewed election as athlete of the year is the logical consequence.

There was the season before last, on which Marco Odermatt left his mark in an impressive way, in which he went from success to success. The logical question then was whether this accumulation of top performances was something unique and whether things could even be better.

Yes, it got even better. Odermatt, who was voted Swiss athlete of the year for the third time in a row, delivered even more of everything and dominated the World Cup even more clearly. In his seasonal record he had 13 World Cup victories and nine more podium finishes.

In other words: He only missed the podium four times in 26 races. Odermatt increased his total to 2042 World Cup points – a previously unattainable height. The previous record, held by the Austrian Hermann Maier for 23 years, was 2000 points.

Historic performance ennobled with World Cup titles

Odermatt won seven times in the giant slalom alone. There was also a second and a third place, which further extended his fantastic streak. In the basic Alpine discipline, Odermatt was ranked among the top three in the 17 giant slaloms in which he competed in the last two World Cup seasons without exception. The high-flyer refined his historically good performances in the World Cup in February with the World Championship titles in the downhill and, of course, in the giant slalom.

Successes of this magnitude not only require disproportionate talent. They also place the highest demands on the mental area. Odermatt obviously has strengths in this regard that go beyond the normal level. The interplay between physical and psychological is perfect for him. This symbiosis allows him a level of focus that is second to none.

Odermatt impresses not only on the slopes but also off the slopes. He knows how to correctly evaluate success and his privileges. Despite his status in the alpine ski circuit, he doesn’t see himself as anything special. For him, humility and modesty are not just lip service. That’s exactly why the superstar is so popular.