Most people who have a failure of some sort and survive can usually put it behind them in some way. Not so for Vinko Bogataj. You might not know the name, but for anyone over the age of 50, you probably know him as the Agony of Defeat guy from Wide World of Sports. In 1970, Vinko was competing at the world ski flying competition in Oberstdorf. On his second run he had an epic wipe out that was broadcast on the opening of Wide World of Sports for years to come. Luckily, he only broke his ankle and had a concussion. He would have been back on the mountain that day, but he couldn’t get medically cleared. Vinko was back ski jumping the following season but never really made a comeback. He continued being active in the sport and eventually transitioned to coaching other ski jumpers over the next 20 years.
Vinko’s accident became so iconic that he was essentially the guest of honor at Wide World of Sport’s 20th anniversary party and received a standing ovation. Mohamad Ali was one of the first guests to get Vinko’s autograph. Vinko never saw his Olympic dreams realized but he is humbled by the support and admiration he as received from fellow athletes and from people around the world.
Retiring to his native Slovenia, Bagataj has become an accomplished landscape painter with numerous awards and exhibitions in both the U.S. and Europe.
It’s All About Attitude
Vinko is a perfect example of how attitude and perception shape your experience. Millions of people watched his crash week after week and assumed he was done. Vinko was ready to take another run at the mountain even with a broken ankle. This is more common than you might think.
Maggie Voisin is another skier who didn’t want to be stopped by a broken leg. At 15, she was supposed to be the youngest Olympic skiers in 30 years at the Sochi Olympics. Instead she was one of 8 members of the Olympic team that would not compete. She fractured her right fibula prior to the opening ceremony. Since she hadn’t told her parents yet, and because she didn’t want to disappoint them, she marched in the opening ceremony with a broken leg. She later framed the bib that she would have won during the competition.
Later that year, Maggie was ready to compete again. In her first competition she tore her left ACL and meniscus. This time she would be sidelined for 13 months but was back for the 2015 season. Fast forward to 2021, Maggie has had knee surgery again. But at 22, she is the only American woman to win 2 gold medals in the Slopestyle at the X Games.