Armin Zöggeler

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Armin Zöggeler during 2005 World Cup competition in Oberhof, Germany.
Armin Zöggeler during 2005 World Cup competition in Oberhof, Germany.
Medal record
Luge
Olympic Games
Gold 2002 Salt Lake City Men's singles
Gold 2006 Turin Men's singles
Silver 1998 Nagano Men's singles
Bronze 1994 Lillehammer Men's singles
World Championships
Gold 1995 Lillehammer Men's singles
Gold 1999 Königssee Men's singles
Gold 2001 Calgary Men's singles
Gold 2003 Sigulda Men's singles
Gold 2005 Park City Men's singles
Silver 1995 Lillehammer Mixed team
Silver 2000 St. Moritz Men's singles
Silver 2007 Igls Men's singles
Silver 2007 Igls Mixed team
Bronze 1996 Altenberg Mixed team
Bronze 1997 Igls Mixed team
Bronze 2004 Nagano Mixed team
Bronze 2005 Park City Mixed team
European Championships
Gold 1994 Königssee Mixed team
Gold 2004 Oberhof Men's singles
Gold 2008 Cesana Men's singles
Silver 2004 Oberhof Mixed team
Silver 2006 Winterberg Men's singles
Silver 2006 Winterberg Mixed team
Bronze 1994 Königssee Men's singles
Bronze 2000 Winterberg Men's singles
Bronze 2000 Winterberg Mixed team
Bronze 2002 Altenberg Men's singles
Bronze 2008 Cesana Mixed team

Armin Zöggeler (born 4 January 1974) is an Italian luger and double Olympic champion. He is one of the most successful men in the sport, nicknamed Il Cannibale ("The Cannibal"), for his notable series of victories, or The Iceblood Champion, for his always cold, rational approach to the races.

Zöggeler was born in Merano, Italy. A police officer by profession, he began to luge at a very young age, over natural tracks. He won the junior World Cup when he was 14, and made his debut with the Italian national team at the age of 19. Despite a lack of tracks in Italy until the construction of the Cesana Pariol track for the 2006 Winter Olympics, he evolved into one of the most effective lugers ever.

Zöggeler is the only Italian to have won at least a medal in four consecutive editions of Olympic Games (Summer Olympics included) with medals in the men's singles event that include two golds (2002, 2006), one silver (1998), and one bronze (1994). He also has thirteen medals at the FIL World Luge Championships, including five golds (Men's singles: 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005), four silvers (Men's singles: 2000, 2007; Mixed team: 1995, 2007), and four bronzes (Mixed team: 1996, 1997, 2004, 2005).

At the FIL European Luge Championships, Zöggeler has earned eleven medals. This includes three golds (Men's singles: 2004, 2008 , Mixed team: 1994), three silvers (Men's singles: 2006, Mixed team: 2004, 2006), and five bronzes (Men's singles: 1994, 2000, 2002; Mixed team: 2000, 2008).

He won the overall Luge World Cup in men's singles seven times (1997-8, 1999-2000, 2000-1, 2003-4, 2005-6, 2006-7, 2007-8).

Zöggeler's 38 individual wins in the World Cup (as of January 2008), he is first of all time, beating the previous record of 33 wins by both German Georg Hackl and Austrian Markus Prock.

Zöggeler lives in the town of Lana, in the province of Bolzano-Bozen. He has two children, Nina and Thomas, and married their mother on May 12, 2007.

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