Beijing Olympics 2022 - ‘I'm not some kind of superhuman’ - how pure dedication paid off for Dave Ryding

Dave Ryding says there is nothing particularly special about him, describing himself as “not some kind of superhuman”, despite becoming Britain’s first ever alpine skiing World Cup winner. The 35-year-old is preparing for his fourth Olympic Games after making British sporting history when he won the slalom title in Kitzbuhel recently, an achievement which has seen his profile rise to higher than it has ever been before. Ad/> The reaction has left Ryding “exhausted” and “pumped” in equal measure.

He is one of the most popular athletes on the circuit and known as one of the nicest and down to earth, too. His journey has been extraordinary, from the dry slopes of Pendle in Lancashire to the top of the sport. Beijing 2022'Rocket' Ryding brought crashing back down to earth after World Cup lift-off28/01/2022 AT 14:20 “I'm just a normal, everyday guy.

I like to have a laugh. I love to go to our cafe that I help my fiancee and other people run in the village,” he told Eurosport. /> Ryding puts his achievements down to having a strong work ethic instilled by his parents from a young age, but he says it is learning to be disciplined to deliver consistent runs which has been the biggest difference over the past few years, and he hopes that will pay off in Beijing, too.

“It's something I worked a lot on. I don't know if it goes back to my dad, he always used to say, remember, Dave, every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” he said. “The discipline is for my upper body and my hand carriage.