Surely, Austrians are used to easier times. As their new government screams chaos and controversy, there’s one thing Austrians always could rely on:
Skipping all the blablabla started by Austrian media, for one second Marcel Hirscher won’t take the spot.
Today Gregor Schlierenzauer will steal the spotlight as he turns 28 today.
Wowser, that guy’s getting old.
But have you ever seen someone scrunch his nose so gracefully?
Or even sing ‘I am from Austria’ celebrating a freaking silver medal after losing to the Germans?
There are so many things about this guy, not just his typical Tyrol bua looks. I mean, that ‘beard’ and that jawline? Hello Mister Schlierenzauer, I’d be your Misses any day, you wouldn’t even have to ask. Well, you never will anyway.
What used to look like that boy next door who always seemed to party way too much when his parents were gone over the weekend…
…turned into an actual mature man.
We all remember seeing Gregor breaking record after record and now the one thing he needs to break is his inner misery. He probably went through the hardest time of his life these past two years. He did lose a lot, as he states in his documentary ‘Weitergehen’.
Yet, he found himself again as he was about to lose himself. He pushed himself forward, dragged himself through physical and mental hell. So many people patted his back when he was on top, but the same ones turned away as he fell into a hole. As an athlete your own expectations are the highest and still, the pressure from the outside does affect you. There were days during which I actually thought he’d end his career. I was checking the Austrian news constantly, I just wanted to know. I was sort of prepared you know? I remember crying when I heard he’d take a break from Ski jumping. It was just so heartbreaking, to me, at least.
I don’t know where that comes from, it might be the familiar persona Gregor and I share, we both either have lover or haters, we’re perfectionists and if something we committed ourselves to goes wrong, it’s groundbreaking.
Gregor pulled himself out of the water. He learned that in your darkest times, you need to find happiness even if you feel like giving up. He learned that being not okay is okay. He focused on himself and reflected as to what his inner-self really wanted.
He did not end his career in the end. And it brought bronze in Lahti.
I am beyond grateful to see him back, not as Schlieri, but as Gregor. He is an athlete dully committed to his sport and right now it might not be going his way, but this guy, Gregor, has learned so many things that he’s greater than failure.
Somehow he remained the same over these years
I’m sure he’s been mistaken by others. Words got twisted and in the end he was the one to take the blame. Well, he stands for something and that’s honesty. That’s something really rare these days.
Do I think Gregor deserves better? He does. Anyone who watches his VLOGS notices the effort he puts into things. Not just his training (which should result in way better competition results), but by actually showing us what he does and caring for his fans. He has his bad days, too, but supporting him over the last few years has shown me that he’s one unique man.
There are two days in your life which mark you forever. One of them is the day you were born, the other the day you find out why.
Gregor, I know you will never read this. And yet, I can’t help but shedding a tear while writing this. You are, rest reassured, one to remember. You’ve been in the circuit for more than 10 years and still got your spine and your class. You were so close to losing yourself and yet you overcame your inner demon.
And I admire you for that.
And I will admire you into the times after your career.
You do deserve better, Gregor.
Keep your head up, champ.
You become a legend after you die, but you, dear, already are a legend.
dailybridgerton
germansingergirl
blakekathryn
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