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AboveFelix Gottwald celebrates after winning gold in the 7.5km sprint in Turin in 2006BelowGottwald (left) competes in the 15km individual event in Salt Lake City in 2002Olympic medals in Nordic combined Ð more than any other athlete7 3 gold7.5km sprint(Turin 2006)4x5km team(Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010)1 silver15km individual(Turin 2006)3 bronze7.5km sprint15km individual4x5km team(all Salt Lake City 2002)ÔTHE REAL IMPACT IS NOT THE MEDALS; THE REAL IMPACT IS THE JOURNEY TO THE MEDALSÕ FELIX GOTTWALDthe World Championships in Liberec (Czech Republic) in 2009. Todd Lodwick was competing there Ð he had retired, come back again and won two gold medals. When I went home afterwards, I was talking with my service guy and he asked me a simple question: ÒCould you imagine competing again?Ó I said, ÒItÕs such a long way back.Ó But the thought wouldnÕt leave me. So I tried training as an athlete again. ÒDonÕt talk about it. Just train. It will go away,Ó I said. But the feeling got more intense than ever and then, it was just one decision. I said to myself: ÒDo it. ItÕs probably the last time you can do it. If you have this thought in five years, it will be too late.ÓThatÕs why the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010 were a gift. I was able to come back and win the gold medal again with the team. It was a long journey. Luckily, it was one with a lot of medals in the end, but the real impact is not the medals; the real impact is the journey to the medals. MY OLYMPIC MEMORIESIn Lillehammer, when I stepped outside at the LysgOErdsbakken Arena and saw the crowd in the valley, my heart felt like ÒboomÓ. It was like it was beating outside of my chest. I was so overawed that I forgot to jump and ski properly. In Nagano, we made one big mistake: we didnÕt live in the Olympic Village. That was the main reason that we didnÕt feel the spirit of the Olympic Games. My advice for every athlete is, when itÕs possible, try to live in the Olympic Village. ThatÕs what counts.In Salt Lake City, it was the first time I won any medals and I remember my pride at being congratulated by Franz Klammer. The ÒconquerorÓ had let me in, but, after listening to me explain how it was possible to win all three medals, he told me, ÒWhat really counts is the gold medalÓ. That was one of the things that convinced me to carry on for Turin and I made sure I was really well prepared for those Games. In my opinion, in 2006 I was the athlete who wanted to win the gold medal the most. HOW THE GAMES CHANGED MY LIFEFor sure, the Olympic Games changed my life. I wouldnÕt do what IÕm able to do now if I didnÕt participate in five Olympic Games and win all those medals. But, I think, more than the Olympic Games, it was the sport that changed my life. Sport requires you to ask questions of yourself and make decisions. You have to go your own way, keep going and not doubt yourself or ask, ÒWas this the right decision?Ó ItÕs the same in life. ■Born: 13 January 1976 in Zell am See, AustriaFACT FILECompeted in five editions of the Olympic Games74 OLYMPIC REVIEW MY GAMES