Greece has taken out its first ever winter sport medal after Greek skier AJ Ginnis won silver at the men’s slalom at the Alpine skiing world championships held in France.
"You put Greece on the map," Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, told Ginnis before handing him the silver medal at the awards ceremony.
Ginnis who started the first run 24th finished second to gold medalist Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway.
"It's just a dream, the last two weeks. History for Greece, best moment in my career," Ginnis said. "I can't believe it. I don't know what happened. During the run, I thought it was not enough and I just gave everything in the last gates."
The 28-year-old, who has come back from six knee operations, was born in Athens but moved to America at the age of 15 and competed for the U.S. ski team at the 2017 worlds before representing Greece in 2020.
He was also second in a World Cup slalom in Chamonix on Feb. 4, the first World Cup podium for his country.
"It feels unreal," his serviceman Gabriel Coulet told Eurosport. "He went to chase his dream for Greece after so many injuries and he never let go.
"He always had the speed but with all the hurdles he had in his life he could never really bring it to a big achievement like this... today his dream came true."