Sven Hannawald
Hannawald moved with his family to Johanngeorgenstadt, a neighboring town to Erlabrunn, where he spent his childhood. At the age of eight he completed his first jumps in what was then the GDR. He quickly became a top ski jumper in his country. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, the family moved to Jettingen near Ulm. Sven Hannawald attended the ski boarding school in Furtwangen. There he completed his secondary school diploma. He then trained as a communications electronics technician. After completing his apprenticeship, he joined the Bundeswehr as a temporary soldier. There he was able to devote himself to his discipline in the sports support group. During this time he also met the well-known ski jumper Dieter Thoma, which developed into a friendly relationship. Hannawald moved to Hinterzarten, where he still lives and trains today. His steep career as a ski jumper began there on the Adlerschanze.
In 1991 he came third at the Junior World Championships in Vuokotti. After that, his career took a hit, partly due to injuries such as a bruised kidney and a concussion. In German competitions he achieved at most respectable successes and internationally he slipped into the Continental Cup. At that time, the German Ski Association was already considering removing him from the national squad. Then in the 1997/98 season came the breakthrough from talent to the top class. During this time, Sven Hannawald won his first World Cup title at the Four Hills Tournament in Bischofshofen. He previously finished fifth in Oberstdorf. He achieved a great second place in the overall ranking of the Four Hills Jump. At the Winter Olympics in Nagano in 1998, he suffered from a dip in form. On the large hill he only finished in a disappointing 48th place. Immediately afterwards things started looking up again. Sven Hannawald was the first German to win the World Cup in ski flying.
In the overall World Cup he achieved sixth place. The following year he was able to continue his good performances. In the overall ranking he again reached sixth place. He was able to qualify in the top ten 17 times. At the World Championships, Hannawald won the silver medal on the large hill behind his teammate Martin Schmitt. In the team competition he contributed to the world championship title. Sven Hannawald had to struggle with health problems at the beginning of the 1999/2000 season. After changing the ski brand, the athlete had better luck and was able to achieve award-winning distances again. He took fourth place in the Four Hills Tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In Innsbruck he finished seventh; In Bischofshofen he fought his way to fourth place. He then won the world championship title at the 2000 Ski Flying World Championships in Vikersund. And he repeatedly won the Ski Flying World Cup.
The middle of 2000 was also marked by poor performances. Hannawald was plagued by poor form, which resulted in a lack of training. After a medical consultation, the low health situation was overcome, but the distances still didn't work. The only highlight was the team title at the World Championships in Lathi. In the 2001/2002 season Hannawald made a comeback to his old high performance. The German ski jumper won the World Cup in Neustadt after being disqualified on the first day because of a missing seal on his jump suit. He achieved his greatest sporting success on January 6, 2002. On that day he became the first and so far only jumper to win all four competitions in the Four Hills Tournament. With the overall victory of the tour, he clinched the Grand Slam of ski jumping, so to speak. After this success, Sven Hannawald could no longer find his way back to success. He increasingly struggled with health problems, both mentally and physically.
In April 2004, Hannawald was taken to a clinic with burnout syndrome. During this time, Sven Hannawald decided that he had entered a ski jump for the last time at the World Cup in Salt Lake City in February 2004, thus announcing the end of his sporting career. In 2005 he started his career in motorsport. Hannawald, meanwhile, was in a relationship with Nadine L., who gave birth to their son in December 2006. From the 2010 season, Hannawald drove in the ADAC GT Masters.
In 1991 he came third at the Junior World Championships in Vuokotti. After that, his career took a hit, partly due to injuries such as a bruised kidney and a concussion. In German competitions he achieved at most respectable successes and internationally he slipped into the Continental Cup. At that time, the German Ski Association was already considering removing him from the national squad. Then in the 1997/98 season came the breakthrough from talent to the top class. During this time, Sven Hannawald won his first World Cup title at the Four Hills Tournament in Bischofshofen. He previously finished fifth in Oberstdorf. He achieved a great second place in the overall ranking of the Four Hills Jump. At the Winter Olympics in Nagano in 1998, he suffered from a dip in form. On the large hill he only finished in a disappointing 48th place. Immediately afterwards things started looking up again. Sven Hannawald was the first German to win the World Cup in ski flying.
In the overall World Cup he achieved sixth place. The following year he was able to continue his good performances. In the overall ranking he again reached sixth place. He was able to qualify in the top ten 17 times. At the World Championships, Hannawald won the silver medal on the large hill behind his teammate Martin Schmitt. In the team competition he contributed to the world championship title. Sven Hannawald had to struggle with health problems at the beginning of the 1999/2000 season. After changing the ski brand, the athlete had better luck and was able to achieve award-winning distances again. He took fourth place in the Four Hills Tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In Innsbruck he finished seventh; In Bischofshofen he fought his way to fourth place. He then won the world championship title at the 2000 Ski Flying World Championships in Vikersund. And he repeatedly won the Ski Flying World Cup.
The middle of 2000 was also marked by poor performances. Hannawald was plagued by poor form, which resulted in a lack of training. After a medical consultation, the low health situation was overcome, but the distances still didn't work. The only highlight was the team title at the World Championships in Lathi. In the 2001/2002 season Hannawald made a comeback to his old high performance. The German ski jumper won the World Cup in Neustadt after being disqualified on the first day because of a missing seal on his jump suit. He achieved his greatest sporting success on January 6, 2002. On that day he became the first and so far only jumper to win all four competitions in the Four Hills Tournament. With the overall victory of the tour, he clinched the Grand Slam of ski jumping, so to speak. After this success, Sven Hannawald could no longer find his way back to success. He increasingly struggled with health problems, both mentally and physically.
In April 2004, Hannawald was taken to a clinic with burnout syndrome. During this time, Sven Hannawald decided that he had entered a ski jump for the last time at the World Cup in Salt Lake City in February 2004, thus announcing the end of his sporting career. In 2005 he started his career in motorsport. Hannawald, meanwhile, was in a relationship with Nadine L., who gave birth to their son in December 2006. From the 2010 season, Hannawald drove in the ADAC GT Masters.
