Sandro Viletta Swiss skier Date of Birth: 23.01.1986 Country: Switzerland

1. Sandro Viletta - Swiss Alpine Skier
2. Passion for Winter Sports
3. Determination to Overcome
4. Surprising Olympic Success
5. Life Beyond Skiing

Sandro Viletta - Swiss Alpine Skier

Sandro Viletta, also known as "Punto", was born on January 23, 1986, in Graubünden, Switzerland. He is a highly successful Swiss alpine skier, particularly excelling in giant slalom and combined events. Viletta became the champion of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in the super combined event. He has achieved top ten finishes in six World Cup stages and his best overall World Cup ranking was 51st place in the 2009-2010 season. Viletta uses Salomon ski equipment for his competitions.

Passion for Winter Sports

Sandro Viletta has always been drawn to winter sports due to his love for low temperatures and the adrenaline rush that comes with skiing at high speeds. He chose skiing as his sport of choice because of the opportunity it provides to push himself to the limit during training sessions. However, Viletta faced significant challenges during his teenage years due to a thyroid disorder called hyperthyroidism. This condition affected his physical development and resulted in ongoing back pain.

Determination to Overcome

Despite the difficulties he faced, Viletta never considered giving up on his career. To manage the pain, he performs a set of stretching exercises every morning and dedicates his evenings to gymnastics. In April 2004, Viletta arrived in Davos for the International Ski Federation (FIS) competition. Unfortunately, during the race, he broke a rib, forcing him to end the 2003-2004 season prematurely. He also suffered a broken wrist in a gate crash during a giant slalom event at the Alta Badia World Cup in Italy. In February 2012, Viletta sustained a concussion after a fall during the super-G event at the Crans-Montana World Cup in Switzerland. Additionally, he endured injuries to his left hand and pulled muscles in his pelvic area in Val Gardena, Italy.

Surprising Olympic Success

Although Viletta's previous performances were modest, he achieved remarkable and unexpected results at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. While he had only finished in the top three once before in a super-G event in December 2011, Viletta emerged as the leader in the super combined event at the Olympics, with a total time of 2 minutes and 45.20 seconds. Despite his extensive injury history, Viletta has never been afraid of high speeds.

Life Beyond Skiing

Outside of skiing, Viletta has a passion for beach volleyball and video games. He stands at a height of 1.77 meters and weighs 78 kilograms. Viletta speaks fluent German and English. Despite his success, he still experiences fear when flying due to the trauma caused by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. To cope with this fear, Viletta undergoes acupuncture therapy. His motto is "Remember only the successful moments."