France veteran Clarey aiming to awaken younger self in bid for podium

Record-breaking veteran Johan Clarey (FRA) reckons he could be "dangerous" in the men's downhill at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. But it all depends which version of himself he wakes up to on race day on 6 February.

"Some days I am feeling like I am 30, maybe a little less," Clarey, who turned 41 in early January, said. "But some days I am feeling 50 or 60 years old."

"I have some good days but I have to be lucky that these good days are on race day. In Kitzbuehel everything was fine. Hopefully here in Beijing it could be the same."

It certainly was fine in Kitzbuehel just a few weeks ago when Clarey, for the third time in his 19-year FIS world cup career, finished second in one of the sport's most iconic downhill races.

It extended a record he already held as the oldest skier to finish on a world cup podium. Clarey is also the oldest world championship medallist in the sport, having claimed super-G silver in 2019.

As to how he is doing it, the man nicknamed 'Yo' is not quite sure.

"Everybody is asking me that question. I just keep working, focusing on my body, listening to my feelings. I just have the passion for my sport and the key secret is to keep believing in myself."

Being surrounded by much younger teammates helps, too. The 30-year-old Blaise Giedendanner (FRA) finished third behind Clarey in Kitzbuehel. Crucially, he also has the backing of his new wife.

"She keeps me young," Clarey, who got married in November last year, said. "She keeps me pushing when I am saying, 'Oh, I am too tired, I am too old for this shit'. She says, 'Oh, you are not too old'."

The man who made his debut at elite level in 2003 believes that if he is at his "best" and "the young guys make some mistakes" he could "grab a medal" in Beijing.

But even if he does not add the title of oldest Olympic Alpine skiing medallist to his CV - an accolade held by Bode Miller (USA), who was 36 when he took bronze in the super-G at Sochi 2014 - Clarey already has another claim to fame of which he is particularly proud.

In 2013 he became the first skier to be clocked travelling at more than 100mph (160km/h), making him the 'fastest man on skis'.

"Hopefully I can keep that one for a long time. Maybe people will talk about me when I retire because of this."

Article courtesy of Olympic Information Service