Jumped despite diagnosis

Olympic champion: “I had seizures again and again”

In 2014, Severin Freund became team Olympic champion in Sochi.(Bild: GEPA)

In an interview with "Welt am Sonntag", Severin Freund made his epilepsy condition public. "I kept having seizures," the former ski jumper revealed.

"I seem to have a window of about two weeks every six to 24 months in which I have seizures. Then it's one or a maximum of three so far. After that, I have peace and quiet again," explained the German. Although he had already suffered from epilepsy during his active career, he only experienced the symptoms at night. "I had seizures again and again, but only during sleep," said Freund.

Although a doctor had strongly advised him against a career as a ski jumper in 2006, the now 36-year-old decided to take up winter sports. In order to avoid poor performances being attributed to his illness, Freund made a conscious decision to keep his diagnosis a secret during his career. 

"Start convulsing in my sleep"
The three-time world champion went on to say that those around him had long since become accustomed to dealing with epilepsy. "I start convulsing in my sleep and sometimes bite my cheek. My wife then makes sure there's nothing nearby that I could hurt myself on and that I don't crawl out of bed."

Picture-book career
Freund made his World Cup debut in 2007 and, in addition to numerous medals in the Ski Jumping and Ski Flying World Championships, he won the gold medal with the German team at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. One year later, the Bavarian crowned his career with the big crystal globe. In 2022, he hung up his skis at the age of 33.