#LGBTInnovators - Daniela Iraschko-Stolz
26th February 2016
Daniela Iraschko-Stolz is an Austrian ski jumper.
Daniela has won multiple medals during her athletic career. She is best known for her three individual victories at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival (2000, 2001, 2003). She won the fourth overall World Cup season for ladies in 2014/15; the gold medal at the 2007 Winter Universiade in Turin and gold at the 2011 Ski Jumping World Championships in Holmenkollen. At the Winter Olympics in Sochi she not only took home the first silver medal in the event but she became the second openly gay athlete to medal at the Sochi Games.
At World Cup level, she has nine individual wins and finished second overall in the first ever women’s World Cup season in 2011/12. On 29 January 2003, Daniela became the first woman to fly over 200 metres, during practice for a World Cup event on the ski flying hill in Kulm a women’s world record which still stands today.
Speaking after the Sochi games she said:
“I hope for the future that the people now can see the sport as a chance to change something. That would be nice. Because everyone looks at Russia and its laws, and I think it’s a good idea to change something.”
The comments came after a minor media controversy when she said she wanted focus on the event rather than protesting Russia’s anti-gay laws.
“I fight a lot in my life, for my sport and for my love,” she added. Her love being her wife, who she married last year.
Leap Sports is spotlighting #LGBTInnovators in sport throughout LGBT History Month this February. We will celebrate a different LGBTI innovator in sport each day. LGBTI sports innovators include athletes, competitors, coaches, managers, community members, founders or co-ordinators of sports groups, someone passionate about their sport.
Got an LGBTI innovator in sport that you would like to shine a light on?
Use your imagination and join the conversation using the hashtag #LGBTInnovators on Twitter @Leapsports and Facebook facebook.com/leapsports
Find out more about LGBT History Month at www.lgbthistory.org.uk
