Wolfgang KINDL

SIZE MATTERS
Although he lacks the typical body type of a luge athlete - tall, with long arms and enough weight to propel himself down the luge channel - he has never let his critics get to him. "A lot of people didn't believe in me, and they thought, 'He will never be one of the good ones.'"

He believes that his height actually gives him an aerodynamic edge, and as for his other perceived deficiencies, he just hits the weight room that much harder. "When tobogganing, you should be 1.90 meters tall and weigh 90 kilograms, but that never scared me off. I trained more than everyone else and worked even harder on myself." (mysportmystory.com, 11 Sep 2018; olympics.com, 2017)

NINJA WARRIOR AUSTRIA
Competed in the made-for-tv show Ninja Warrior Austria which aired in October 2021. (meinbezirk.at, 1 Oct 2021)

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OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games silver medallist in singles, finishing 0.16 seconds behind champion Johannes Ludwig (GER). Won a second silver medal in the team relay (again behind Germany).

Has previously represented Austria at three-consecutive Olympic Winter Games from 2010 to 2018 placing ninth in singles at each event.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Five-time World Championships medallist. In 2017, won double world titles in singles and sprint in his hometown of Innsbruck. In both races, he finished ahead of runner-up Roman Repilov (RUS) and third-place Italian Dominik Fischnaller. Only the fourth Austrian to claim a world championship, and the first in 21 years after Markus Prock won his second title in 1996.

Captured three singles bronze medals in 2015, 2016 and 2020.

WORLD CUP
In Lillehammer in 2015, he claimed Austria's first World Cup victory since Markus Kleinheinz last won a race for the nation in Altenberg in 2005.

Two-time runner up to German Felix Loch in the overall season standings in singles in 2015/16 and 2017/18. Finished behind Loch in singles sprint in 2015/16, but prevailed over the German to take the title in 2017/18.