Markus Salcher: No limits!

June 1, 1991: a boy is born in Klagenfurt, Austria, paralyzed on one side. Few could have predicted a top-flight career in sports, but as marathon superstar Eliud Kipchoge has said, no human is limited!

Markus Salcher's path may not have been an easy one, but it has taken him to the very top of para-skiing. His breakthrough came at the 2013 Alpine World Ski Championships in La Molina, Spain, where he won gold in both the downhill and super-G.

Medals followed in abundance. At the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, he won gold in the downhill and super-G, as well as bronze in the giant slalom. This was followed by two bronze medals at Pyeongchang 2018 and two silver medals in Beijing 2022 in speed events.

At the Alpine World Ski Championships for the disabled, Salcher, who competes in the standing events (classification LW9-1), won eight gold, three silver and two bronze medals between 2013 and 2023, making him one of the most successful Para skiers of all time. 

Salcher was Austria's Disabled Athlete of the Year three times. Though the coverage of Para sports could be greater, he once declared "I don't ski for the media coverage, but for the joy of skiing". As of July 2022, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation serves as the International Federation for the sport and is committed to develop this area in all directions, giving all Para skiers and snowboarders the platform they deserve.