Marco Odermatt: Passion, pressure and the path to Olympic victory

Marco Odermatt: Passion, pressure and the path to Olympic victory

Marco Odermatt, the shining Swiss ski star, has taken the winter sports world by storm. Not only is he an Olympic champion, but also a two-time world champion and three-time overall World Cup winner with more than 44 World Cup races under his belt. In an exciting interview, Odermatt explained how his passion for skiing began at the age of two and a half when his father put him on skis. “It fascinated me from the start,” says the exceptional athlete, who sees skiing as a kind of joy in life and appreciates the freedom of movement that comes with it laola1.at reported.

His exceptional talent became clear when he won five gold medals in one week at the Junior World Championships. Even the pressure and expectations he has to deal with don't seem to stop him. “The pressure from outside is not as great as the pressure I put on myself,” says Odermatt. And he's not afraid even at speeds of up to 140 km/h: "It's about getting down as quickly as possible and seeing what the others are doing." He is particularly pleased about the partnership with the traditional brand Longines, which has been active in skiing for a long time and whose values ​​of performance and pioneering spirit he shares.

A look at Longines' long tradition

Longines is celebrating a century in alpine skiing this year. The brand began providing timing devices for a ski race in Switzerland in 1924 and has continued to set standards in timekeeping ever since. Of particular note is the introduction of photoelectric cells at the 1937 Alpine World Ski Championships, which revolutionized precision. How watchtime.net reports, Longines will be present as official partner and timekeeper at the 2025 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach, where the best ski athletes will fight for glory.

In addition to its presence in sports, Longines is dedicated to the restoration of antique watches. In the Heritage Workshop in Saint-Imier, old models are carefully revitalized. The team receives around 3,000 customer inquiries every year, of which around 1,700 watches are restored. The price for this masterful work is more than fair at 120 Swiss francs per hour. Each watch tells a story and carries the Longines heritage – a symbol of quality and craftsmanship that has characterized the brand for over 150 years.