"A second gold medal would be a bonus."

Emanuel Perathoner has been competing in the Snowboard World Cup since 2003. He participated in the Olympic Games in 2014 (Sochi) and 2018 (Pyeongchang) before a serious training accident in Colere near Bergamo in 2021 brought his "first career" to an end.

After four operations, he opted for a knee replacement and competed in the Para Snowboard World Cup in the LL2 category starting in 2022/23. "Back then, the goal was already the 2026 home Paralympics in Milan Cortina," Perathoner recalls. He dominates the scene, celebrating victories one after another, collecting crystal globes and World Championship golds.

He doesn't know the word "give up". He's determined to fulfill a sporting dream, because the word "give up" simply doesn't exist for the almost 40-year-old from Lajen (his birthday will be celebrated on May 12th). His Spanish wife, Belen, always supports him. The same goes for his family and friends: "That's right, they are my greatest support. Since I had my knee replacement, my goal has been a gold medal at the Paralympics. Specifically in cross-country, because that's my discipline and means so much more to me."

Perathoner (center) won the gold medal. © ANSA / Scaccini GMT / CIP

After his resounding gold medal win, "the commotion was huge and I barely had time to properly hug my loved ones," says "Perri." He was passed around and had to fulfill wishes and smile for hours. That's also why he went back to his home village of Lajen on Tuesday for the day and celebrated with his family over pizza. "It feels good and allows me to switch off a bit," confirms the ever-cheerful and friendly Perathon native.

Congratulations from Spain Sunday's success was also noticed in Spain. Perathoner: "The mayor of Pamplona called and the newspaper 'Marca' wrote a report. In Italy, a number of political figures tried to contact me. My phone rang almost constantly."

Perathoner attributes his success to perfect preparation: “I trained a lot in the summer, focusing on explosiveness. That helped me a lot at the start. We received excellent support, and I had a fast board,” the champion reports.

“Perri” is also the big favorite in the banked slalom. Perathoner knows, of course, that he's the overwhelming favorite in Friday's banked slalom. He's dominated the World Cup this year. His competitors are watching him; he's the driving force. Do his rivals ask him for tips? "Yes, one or two do, and I give them some too. But I'm not going to reveal everything, of course," jokes the Eisack Valley native.

Thanks to his extensive experience, Perathoner knows exactly what to do in the lead-up to an important race: “Some strength training and staying relaxed. My form is good and I can handle the pressure of being the favorite. I have my coveted gold medal and everything that comes now is a bonus. But of course, I admit that my goal is also to win the banked slalom.”

He doesn't want to talk about what comes next just yet. "I'm sure I'll be going on vacation and commuting between South Tyrol and Spain." The Sports Aid Gala is on April 10th in Merano. Perathoner jokes, "Who knows, maybe I'll even make it into the top six. I'll never make it to the very top, though, because there's Jannik Sinner there."

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"A second gold medal would be a bonus."

Emanuel Perathoner had been dreaming of this moment for four years. His dream of a Paralympic gold medal in snowboard cross came true on March 8th. The veteran athlete has a second chance at gold on Friday.

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