The 2026 Winter Olympics witnessed a memorable moment when Austrian skier Benjamin Karl defeated South Korean opponent Kim Sang-kyum in the parallel skiing final.
Accordingly, Benjamin Karl completed the race with a time of 44.22 seconds, thereby bringing home an emotional gold medal.
This victory not only helped Karl reach the peak of glory, but also put him in the history of the Winter Olympics as the oldest athlete to ever win a gold medal.
At the age of 40 (100 days apart), the Austrian racer has surpassed the long-standing record of legend Ole Einar Bjorndalen, becoming a symbol of endurance and aspiration in top sports.
Immediately after finishing, Karl had a unique celebration when he took off his jersey, lay face down on the snow and raised his hand to shout loudly. This action is considered a tribute to legend Hermann Maier - who had a similar celebration and was a great inspiration for Karl in his career.
Sharing after the victory, the Olympic champion said that his childhood dream has come true.
Since I was 10 years old, I have dreamed of becoming the fastest skier, Olympic and world champion. Today, I have achieved that," Karl said.
In his decades-long career, Karl has participated in more than 215 World Cup stages and stood on the podium 58 times. He owns an impressive collection of achievements with 2 Olympic gold medals and 5 world championship titles.
