Born: 11 December 1927

Birthplace: N/A (Norway)

Nationality: Norway

Sport: Skiing

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

St. Moritz 1948

Oslo 1952

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Silver: 1

Other results:

World Championships

Gold: 3 (54)

Bronze: 1 (50)

Be Tough, Be Confident... Be Humble

Stein Eriksen of Norway, whose father competed as a gymnast at the 1912 Olympics, was the first skier from outside the Alps to win an Olympic men's Alpine gold medal. At the 1952 Oslo Games, Eriksen won the giant slalom by almost two seconds.

A modest champion, he declared, "I had a great advantage over most of the others because I knew the course by heart." Four days later, he added a silver medal in the slalom. He also finished sixth in the downhill. Handsome, stylish and glamorous, Eriksen was skiing's first superstar. Despite his celebrity, Eriksen had a down-to-earth formula for success: "Be tough, be confident. But you will never be a whole and happy person if you aren't humble".