by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Versatility comes naturally to Emma Aicher, the silver medalist in the women's downhill at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
"I always wanted to do everything and race as often as I can," said the 22-year-old, who is competing in downhill and the women's team combined.
Variety, she insists, is part of the fun, and her coaches believe there is still more to come at the Milan-Cortina Games.
"One day it's slalom, the next day I'm on the downhill skis," Aicher said ahead of Tuesday's team combined event, where she will race the slalom leg while teammate Kira Weidle-Winkelmann takes on the downhill.
"To limit her isn't a good idea. That's just not her. She is more," said German coach Andreas Puelacher, referring to his emerging star's range.
Aicher's sporting identity reflects the mix of European skiing. She grew up in Sweden, spent three formative years in Switzerland, joined the German team in 2020 and is now based in Salzburg, Austria.
With a Swedish mother, Viktoria, and a German father, Andreas, she holds dual nationality. Multilingual by upbringing, she nevertheless prefers to keep her cellphone set to English.
Language aside, interviews can sometimes turn into one-sided affairs, with Aicher offering answers of just a single word. Far removed from the glamor of elite sport, she speaks instead about her desire "to enjoy the two minutes before the start and the race, because everyone leaves me completely alone."
Bravery has come naturally. In 2020, she moved from Sweden to join the German federation's Berchtesgaden Ski Boarding School.
"I just wanted to have a look one day, and then I stayed right away," she recalled. "I felt it could be a turning point."
Since then, one question has repeatedly guided her training sessions: How can I get faster?
A blend of Swedish calm, Swiss expertise and German determination has propelled her rapid rise.
She has never denied her Swedish roots or childhood memories. Swedish meatballs, kottbullar, served with mashed potatoes, cream sauce and cranberries remain her favorite dish.
Recalling those meals with her younger brother Max, she admitted: "It's the only dish I can cook perfectly."
"You can't talk to her once they're on the table. She's completely in her own world," her mother Viktoria said with a smile.
Still often described as the German team's "nestling," Aicher is steadily carving out her own place among the sport's leading figures.
"Winning is great, but I stay calm," said the silver medalist from the team event at the 2022 Beijing Games, adding that setbacks rarely linger.
"I don't feel homesick. I just focus on what I can influence," she said, looking ahead to her remaining races and training sessions.
Some describe her as cool and detached. She responds without hesitation: "I am what I am. I am Emma." ■
