Ander MIRAMBELL

Spain

Skeleton

Date of Birth: 17 Feb 1983

Age: 39

Gender: Male

Place of birth: BARCELONA

Birth Country:

Spain

Residence: BARCELONA

Residence Country:

Spain

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Skeleton	Men	24

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Official Training Heat 1	Finished
After Heat 1	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Official Training Heat 2	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Official Training Heat 3	Finished
After Heat 3	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Official Training Heat 4	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Official Training Heat 5	Finished
After Heat 5	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Official Training Heat 6	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Heat 1	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Heat 2	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Men Heat 3	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Athlete:

Historical Results

Olympic Games
Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
23	Men	2018	PyeongChang, KOR	00:02:35.290
24	Men	2010	Vancouver, CAN	00:02:43.620
26	Men	2014	Sochi, RUS	00:02:56.100

Nickname:

The Frozen Cat

Hobbies:

Football, golf, basketball, beach volleyball.

Occupation:

Athlete, Sports Director, Coordinator

Education:

Sports Science - Ramon Llull University (Barcelona, ESP).

Family:

Wife, Irina Rodriguez. Son, Kai Mirambell Rodriguez. Brother, Toni Mirambell.

Languages spoken:

Spanish, English

Club name:

RCD Espanyol, Barcelona (ESP)

Coach:

National: Bernat Busca (ESP)
Personal: Martin Rettl (AUT)

Sporting relatives:

Toni Mirambell (Skeleton): The only Spanish International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation-certified coach.

Other sports:

Athletics: Represented Spain in 400m sprint events at junior level.

Football: Played for the junior team of RCD Espanyol, a professional football club based in Barcelona. (Info 2018)

Injuries:

September 2015: Tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. Underwent surgery on the injury in March 2016. (Info 2018)

Broke ribs in 2009 and was out for five weeks. (Info 2018)

December 2007: Triple fracture of his collarbone after crashing in training. Underwent emergency surgery in Koenigssee, Germany. (Info 2018)

November 2005; Broke a finger on his left hand in three places after a sliding accident. Required surgery and was unable to compete for a month. (Info 2018)

National team:

2005

Start:

Took up luge in 2005 at age 22 in Innsbruck, Austria. (Info 2018)

Reason:

Knew of the sport from the movie 'Cool Runnings' and he and his athletics partner Alberto Castillo thought it would be fun to try.

"The problem that arose is when we went to look for materials and some support or subsidy to pay for the trip, it was impossible. When you find yourself in this situation, alone and not even able to pay the bobsleigh rent, we decided to take a step back and look for something cheaper. We had the possibility to choose between luge and skeleton. We decided on skeleton because we had to push the sled, something that was a strong point coming from the world of athletics, and second, because there was more medical insurance than in the other two sports. So we decided on skeleton, and went to the pilot's school in November 2005." (Info 2018)

Philosophy:

"If you fall, you must get back up and keep going." (Info 2018)

Award:

Plaque of Merit from the Catalan Federation of Sports in Spain. (July 2009)

General Interest

CHEESE GRATER
When he first arrived at the skeleton pilot school he wore a cross-country skiing suit and his own trainers. He was told his footwear was not suitable for the ice, but he had already spent all his money on a helmet, so he made his own. "What I saw on the soles of the (skeleton) slippers was just like a cheese grater, so I bought myself two graters and a good piece of sandpaper, and created my own skeleton shoes, made in Spain. They had graters glued on the tips, and the sandpaper stuck behind on the heels. I went down like lightning." (Info 2018)

PODIUM INCIDENTS
He has had some unusual incidents occur when he has finished on the podium at events, including having the wrong Spanish national anthem played, having to play the anthem on his mobile phone as the organisers did not have it, and the Spanish flag has been displayed upside down. "I think they are not accustomed in this sport to having a Spaniard in podium positions." (Info 2018)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2014 he published the book 'Rompiendo el Hielo (Breaking the Ice)', tracking his journey to becoming the first Spaniard to compete in skeleton at the Olympic Winter Games. He has also served as an ambassador for the Spanish sports club RCD Espanyol. (Info 2018)

Milestones

Three-time Olympian (2010, 2014, 2018), with a best result of 23rd at PyeongChang 2018, being the only Spanish competitor in the field.
At Vancouver 2010, he was the first athlete to represent Spain in skeleton.

Competed at 11 World Championships since his debut in 2008, with a top result of 20th in 2017.

The first European to become a double winner of the North American Cup (2016, 2020).

Social Media

Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos