Paul Hildgartner

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Paul Hildgartner
Medal record
Men's luge
Representing  Italy
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1972 Sapporo Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1984 Sarajevo Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 1980 Lake Placid Men's singles
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1971 Olang Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1978 Imst Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1973 Oberhof Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Königssee Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Lake Placid Men's singles
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1971 Imst Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1974 Imst Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1978 Hammarstrand Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 1984 Olang Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 1979 Oberhof Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Königssee Mixed team

Paul Hildgartner (born 8 June 1952 in Chienes) is an Italian former luger who competed from the early 1970s to the late 1980s. Competing in five Winter Olympics, he earned two gold medals (Men's doubles: 1972, Men's singles: 1984) and one silver medal (Men's singles: 1980) for his efforts. Hildgartner was the flag bearer for Italy in the 1984 Winter Olympics and the 1988 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies.[1]

Biography[edit]

Hildgartner also won five medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with two golds (Men's singles: 1978, Men's doubles: 1971) and three bronzes (Men's singles: 1979, 1983; Men's doubles: 1973). Additionally, he won six medals at the FIL European Luge Championships with four golds (Men's singles: 1978, 1984; Men's doubles: 1971, 1974), one silver (Men's singles: 1979), and one bronze (Mixed team: 1988). He also won the Luge World Cup overall title in men's singles in 1978-9, 1980-81 (tied with fellow Italian Ernst Haspinger), and 1982-3.[2]

Hildgartner is the only person as of 2018 to win a gold medal in men's singles luge and doubles luge at the Winter Olympics, FIL World Luge Championships, and FIL European Luge Championships. He was among the first inductees into the International Luge Federation (FIL) Hall of Fame in 2004, along with Klaus Bonsack and Margit Schumann.

Following the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, the 17th turn at Cesana Pariol where the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton events took place was renamed in his honour.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Flagbearers for Italy". www.olympedia.org. OlyMADMen. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  2. ^ "List of European luge champions". Eiskanal (in German). Archived from the original on 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2015-02-08.

External links[edit]

Winter Olympics
Preceded by Italy Flag bearer for Italy
1984 Sarajevo

1988 Calgary

Succeeded by