Hermann Maier, True Champion Skier

˝I`ve never felt like this before. It means more than any other thing.˝ Tears are flowing down from the champion skier`s eyes. Everyone told him to give up, but he persisted and is now seeing a miracle. He truly deserves the nickname `Herminator (Hermann + Terminaotr).`

Hermann Maier, 31-year-old Austrian skier, was seriously injured in a motor cycling accident and had to leave the snowy filed. One and a half year has passed and he did what seemed almost impossible in the World Cup held in Kitsbuhel, Austria.

In men`s Super-G, Maier finished at 1 minute 20.48 seconds, outpacing two of his teammates, Christopher Groover and the world champion Shutepan Everhart, by 0.11 and 0.15 seconds.

The victorious comeback came 22 months after he won the World Cup in Are, Sweden in March 2001.

The Austrian skier has been a living legend in Alpine ski. He has won 42 world champion titles so far and is known for his aggressive curving and exceptional race. He won two gold medals in Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998. But he got his two legs broken in a motor cycling accident in August 2001 and had to leave the race.

Early this year he made a comeback after going through a grueling rehabilitation program, and the Austrian ski federation let him join the national team again.

He played in the World Cup championship held in Adelboden, Switzerland on January 15 for a Super Slalom race, but ranked 31st failing to advance to the second round.

It was his first appearance in 22 months since the World Cup in Are, Sweden in March 2001. People said that his years have gone, but Maier did not give up, saying ˝I am just happy to ski again.˝

He jumped to the 7th place in men`s Slalom in the Swiss World Cup, and won a gold medal in Super-G on January 28, proving he is back in his prime years.

˝I am thrilled that I have won the gold medal, but what matters most is that I did what seemed almost impossible,˝ said exultant Maier after the race.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com