Kilde, a heavyweight contender in the Olympic downhill, is a skiing legend. Natural anomaly. Extremely monstrous. Ironman. The skiing equivalent of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
There are many nicknames that have been given to Aleksander Aamodt Kilde because of his extraordinary pain tolerance and record-breaking strength in the weight room.
It’s a Major Reason why the Norwegian is Favoured to win Sunday’s Olympic downhill.
Teammate Kjetil Jansrud commented, “He’s always been like that.” For as long as he’s been with the squad, he’s been the team’s undisputed star when it comes to the more strenuous aspects of our training. That’s a big plus for him. His energy reserves are unique.
As a bonus, Kilde’s aerodynamic tuck and big, sculpted legs are able to push through the tightest turns on the most challenging downhill courses.
When other skiers are forced low and off the race line by gravity, Kilde instead digs in and holds firm, reaping the benefits of his agonisingly painful extra sets of repetitions throughout the summer.
Kilde’s strength is well-known among skiers; he can bench press more than 300 pounds (almost 150 kilogrammes) and squat nearly 500 pounds (220 kilogrammes).
Norway’s squad Trainer, Daniel Tangen, called Kilde “a freak of Nature.”
During workouts, he is unrivalled. He is the consummate sportsman. Simply put, he is a formidable fighter. His anaerobic power, as well as his endurance, amazes me.
Kilde tore his ACL in a training accident a year ago, but his penchant for rigorous exercise allowed him to quickly recover and return to peak form.
He posted an Instagram story about a workout he shared with his fiancée, Mikaela Shiffrin, who is currently leading the women’s World Cup in overall points.
Then there was the occasion in 2020 when he posted a video of himself performing a “legday” and dragging a huge set of weights around the floor by use of a rope.
It’s no surprise that he’s dominated the World Cup circuit this season, taking home three victories in downhill and super-G.
While Kilde may have won the World Cup in its entirety once, he has never taken home a medal from a big tournament. There’s a good chance that will change in the next several days at the Beijing Olympics.
I’m Under a lot of stress right now,” Kilde admitted.
It’s been a lot of pressure all year long with solid finishes in each race, so this isn’t any different. From the beginning of this fantastic season, I have felt pressure, both from others and from within myself.
Kilde, who topped the second downhill training session on Friday, is poised to deliver Norway its second consecutive triumph in skiing’s biggest race after Aksel Lund Svindal and Jansrud finished first and second, respectively, in Pyeongchang four years ago (both of whom have since retired).
Obviously, he has the Strength to pull it off,” Jansrud Stated.
He’s under a lot of scrutiny because of his impressive season. However, he has managed the pressure well during the World Cup.
To my mind, there is no longer any reason to worry about that. He is prepared to fight for the glory.
Following a mishap in Colorado in December,
The cruciate ligament in Jansrud’s knee was damaged, and he announced the end of his season. Jansrud has five Olympic medals to his name. He was not in peak form, but he made it to Beijing quickly after recovering.
After missing a gate in training and finishing nearly four seconds behind Kilde, Jansrud stated, “I don’t feel like there’s that much downhill in the body.” A lack of speed and power is something I’ve noticed since my return.
There was talk that a newcomer or younger racer may have a better chance of winning on a course that had never seen a competitor before due to the pandemic. But Kilde thinks he is more prepared for the new test than anyone else because of his present form and fitness.
He explained that being physically fit altered his perspective and reaction time. Therefore, “I have faith and am prepared to act.”