Alexandros “AJ” Ginnis on Sunday took silver in the final men’s slalom of the Alpine skiing world championships in Chamonix, France – giving Greece a first ever winter sports medal.
Ginnis started the first run 24th and said he felt no pressure.
“I’m out of words. These last two weeks have been everything I’ve dreamed of. Maybe in the after-season, I will realise it,” he said.
“Our first world championship medal at a snow or ice event. It is a memory for me, but history for Greece.”
The 28-year-old, who has come back from six knee operations, was born in Athens but moved to America at the age of 15 and competed for the U.S. ski team at the 2017 worlds before representing Greece from 2020.
He was also second in a World Cup slalom in Chamonix on February 4, a first World Cup podium for his country.
“It feels unreal,” his serviceman Gabriel Coulet told Eurosport. “He went to chase his dream for Greece after so many injuries and he never let go.
“He always had the speed but with all the hurdles he had in his life he could never really bring it to a big achievement like this… today his dream came true.”
Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen was the one to take the gold.
