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Alex Bilodeau sent Vancouver roaring when he secured gold in men’s moguls at the 2010 Olympic games. In Sochi, he’s looking to become the first skier ever to earn the gold in moguls in two consecutive olympics. Here’s what you need to know about him:
1. He Took Gold in Moguls For Second Straight Olympics on Monday
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Bilodeau made history this morning, earning his second consecutive gold medal in Olympic moguls. Fellow Canadian Michael Kingsbury took silver. Canada narrowly missed taking full ownership of the podium, with Marc-Antoine Gagnon coming in fourth.
2.He Was the Youngest Skier Ever to Win a World Cup Moguls Event
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According to Wikipedia, in 2006, at the age of 18, Bilodeau finished 11th in the Olympics and finished second at the World Cup, winning a moguls event and the FIS rookie of the year title.
3. His 2010 Win Drew Controversy
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Members of the Australian Olympic team believed their moguls skier Dale Begg-Smith deserved to take home the gold, and had been unfairly passed over by inexperienced judges.
4. His Older Brother Has Cerebral Palsy
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Bilodeau’s older brother Frederic was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was young, and told he wouldn’t be able to walk by age 12. Today, at 28 years-old, Frederic is still walking.
5. He Almost Went into Hockey
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An avid hockey player as a youth, but after watching Jean-Luc Brassard take gold in the 1994 Olympic Games, Alex turned his attention to the slopes. He still plays hockey today, but only recreationally.