Germany's Philipp Raimund sat it out he suffers from vertigo. From time to time, I have the issue that my body is reacting without me controlling it, he said. It's like I am just observing myself while something has a tight grip on me. Still without a World Cup win on his CV heading to these Games, the 25-year-old Raimund stunned the field, including sixth-placed Prevc, and himself to win gold in Monday's normal hill individual event with jumps of 135.6m and 138.5m.
During its 26-year history, the World Anti-Doping Agency has faced thousands of questions about athletes using illicit substances. Thursday, however, surely marked the first time it was asked whether ski jumpers were injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid in order to fly further. The Wada president Witold Banka's reaction? Ski jumping is very popular in Poland [Banka's home country] so I promise you I'm going to look at it, he said, with a wry smile.
Michael Eddie the Eagle Edwards, was the antithesis of the Olympic high-flyer. Heavily disadvantaged by his 82kg (181lb) weight far heavier than his rivals poor eyesight and the small matter of being entirely self-funded, he became Great Britain's first Olympic ski jumper. He finished 67th and last at the 1987 world championships but managed to hit the qualifying standard to secure the sole British spot for Calgary.
