In the spotlight: Adam Małysz

Two weeks ago, he won a gold medal for style on a medium incline during the Ski Jumping World Championship in Sapporo, Japan. So far this season, Małysz has already won three competitions during the World Cup series, climbing up to third in the general rankings. There are seven tournaments to go this season and, considering his recent performance, the last weeks of the competition could prove rather exciting. The chances of Małysz winning the World Cup for the fourth time are suddenly not so unlikely.

Few people had expected to see the "old Małysz" this season. The last three seasons were fairly disappointing for Małysz, sometimes called "the flying Adam," after he failed to win any medals at the World Championships, the Olympics or the World Cup. Although winning the World Cup might prove a challenge due to large point differences in the general standings, he is still likely to add a few more victories to his career's 32 World Cup triumphs.

A three-time World Cup series winner - in 2001, 2002 and 2003 - he was the first ski jumper ever to achieve a "three-peat." Małysz has won three gold medals and one silver in the World Championships and is a two-time Olympic-medal winner.