Oslo February 1952, VI Olympic Winter Games. Alpine Skiing, men's downhill: Stein ERIKSEN of Norway, 6th, in action. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections/RüBELT LotharBorn: 11 December 1927
Birthplace: N/A (Norway)
Nationality: Norway
Sport: Skiing
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
St. Moritz 1948
Oslo 1952
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 1
Silver: 1
Other results:
World Championships
Gold: 3 (54)
Bronze: 1 (50)
Be Tough, Be Confident... Be Humble
Stein Eriksen of Norway, whose father competed as a gymnast at the 1912 Olympics, was the first skier from outside the Alps to win an Olympic men's Alpine gold medal. At the 1952 Oslo Games, Eriksen won the giant slalom by almost two seconds.
A modest champion, he declared, "I had a great advantage over most of the others because I knew the course by heart." Four days later, he added a silver medal in the slalom. He also finished sixth in the downhill. Handsome, stylish and glamorous, Eriksen was skiing's first superstar. Despite his celebrity, Eriksen had a down-to-earth formula for success: "Be tough, be confident. But you will never be a whole and happy person if you aren't humble".
