Winners: Kathy Kreiner, Alpine Skiing

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Kathy Kreiner celebrating on Jim Hunter’s shoulders

Kathy Kreiner sitting on the shoulders of "Jungle" Jim Hunter at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Date: 1976
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

1976 - Feature Story

At age 14, Kathy Kreiner had been the youngest Canadian Olympian at the 1972 Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan. She would compete at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck Austria, winning Canada’s only Gold medal in the giant slalom. In doing so, she defeated the heavily favoured German skier Rosi Mittermaier. Kreiner became the youngest ski champion in Olympic annals. Her father was the team doctor of the Canadian women’s ski team at the 1968 Olympic Games in Grenoble, shooting home movies of Nancy Greene winning Gold and Silver. Kreiner studied those movies and saw herself in the starring role one day. "I felt like I was playing a part in a movie," she said of that 1976 race day. "I had rehearsed it over and over and was ready to ski the race that would win it."

Career Highlights

  • 1984 Inducted into the Canadian Skiing Hall of Fame
  • 1976 Gold medal in Giant Slalom at the Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck
  • 1976 Bobbie Rosenfeld Award (Canada’s female athlete of the year)
  • 1976 Inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
  • 1974 Gold medal, World Cup Giant Slalom event in Pfronten, West Germany
Kathy Kreiner’s striped hat

Hat worn by Kathy Kreiner when she won the Gold medal in Giant Slalom at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Date: 1976
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Kathy Kreiner’s blue and red ski jacket

Ski jacket worn by Kathy Kreiner when she won the Gold medal in Giant Slalom at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Date: 1976
Collection: Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

Kathy Kreiner’s blue and red ski pants

Ski pants worn by Kathy Kreiner when she won the Gold medal in Giant Slalom at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Date: 1976
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Kathy Kreiner’s number one ski bib

Ski bib worn by Kathy Kreiner when she won the Gold medal in Giant Slalom at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Date: 1976
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Kathy Kreiner proudly wears her Gold medal

Kathy Kreiner showing the Gold medal she won in Giant Slalom at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Date: 1976
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

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