Switzerland's Simon Ammann made barely any impression
at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.
But the Games made a big impression on him.
He was just 16 years old at the time, finishing 35th
in the Normal Hill,
39th in the Large Hill competition.
Switzerland has a rich tradition of success
in winter sports but not in ski jumping.
Just one bronze medal in their entire history.
Yet they saw something in this sparky young lad.
He had a gift, a natural ability to fly.
No wonder team-mates nicknamed him Harry Potter.
By Salt Lake City 2002, Ammann was 20 years old
and was still struggling to control his talent.
After four years on the World Cup circuit,
his best result was sixth
and then he lined up his first jump on
the Normal Hill, a jump that would change his life forever.
You only get two goes at the Olympics.
If all goes well, your first jump
will give you a second jump
with both distances added together
combined with style points to establish the winner.
Ammann didn't just qualify for a second jump.
With a distance of 98 metres, plus excellent style points,
he was leading the competition.
Out of nowhere, Switzerland had a chance of
a first gold medal in the ski jump.
On the second jump,
Polish veteran and Muggle Adam Malysz pulled out
an enormous jump,
but a small stumble on landing hurt his prospects.
He who SHALL be named, Sven Hannawald of Germany,
had never been beaten by Ammann.
He thought it might be good enough for gold.
So it all came down to the kid.
98.5 metres,
half a metre further than his first jump.
Gold medal, and the Wizard of Winter was born.
One of the biggest upsets in the history of ski jumping.
It's amazing the effect a gold medal
can have on overall performance.
Two days later, on the Large Hill,
Ammann once again took the lead
on his first jump with some serious wingardium leviosa.
Given a chance at winning a second gold medal,
young Simon absolutely nailed it.
132.5 metres. Magic!
He became the first ski jumper since the Great Matti Nykenen,
the Professor Dumbledore of Ski Jumping,
to win both individual events at the Olympic Winter Games.
Four years later in Turin,
Harry Potter misplaced his magic wand.
Ammann finished way down the field.
These were difficult years for Ammann.
He plunged down the world rankings,
and must have reflected on Salt Lake City
as an impossible dream.
But Ammann is a hard worker. He rebuilt his technique,
he pushed himself.
The Swiss jumper's ability to raise his game
for the big events was in evidence
at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
Now aged 28, Amman won the Normal Hill event,
and then unleashed his biggest ever leap
in the Large Hill competition.
144 metres, the biggest single jump in Olympic history.
Another double gold medal for Ammann.
He is the most successful
Swiss Olympic athlete of all time.