Zeno Colò

Zeno Colò was an Italian alpine skier who became Italy's first Olympic alpine skiing champion in 1952 and once held the world speed skiing record, despite a career shortened by World War II.

Zeno Colò became the first Italian to win an Olympic alpine skiing title when he claimed downhill gold at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics, a feat Italy would not repeat for two decades, backing it with world championship golds in both downhill and giant slalom at Aspen in 1950 — achievements all the more remarkable given that World War II had wiped out what should have been his prime competitive years. He began skiing and racing at 14, joining the national team a year later, but World War II severely disrupted his prime competitive years — he served with the Cervinia ski patrol and was imprisoned during the conflict, only resuming racing in 1947 at age 27. Colò made an immediate impact upon his return, setting a new world speed skiing record of roughly 160 km/h on the Klein Matterhorn in Cervinia that year, a mark that stood for 17 years. He won the Lauberhorn downhill at the 1948 St. Moritz Olympics, before producing the finest season of his career at the 1950 World Championships in Aspen, Colorado, winning gold in both downhill and giant slalom and silver in slalom. Colò's crowning achievement came at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics, where he won gold in the downhill, becoming the first Italian ever to win an Olympic alpine skiing title — a feat Italy would not repeat for two decades, until Gustav Thöni's 1972 giant slalom win. Renowned for his aerodynamic 'turtle egg' tuck position, a precursor to the modern ski racing stance, Colò competed on wooden skis without a helmet. His career ended abruptly in 1954 when he was banned by the Italian ski federation for endorsing ski equipment under the strict amateur rules of the era.

Aggressive, aerodynamic downhiller known for his pioneering 'turtle egg' tuck position

Regarded as one of the greatest Italian skiers of all time, and a pioneer of aerodynamic downhill technique

• Olympic champion, downhill (1952)
• Italy's first Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing
• 2x World Champion (downhill and giant slalom, 1950)
• Former world record holder, speed skiing (flying kilometre)