Grenoble, Chamrousse, 15 February 1968: Nancy GREENE from Canada, 1st, in action in the Alpine skiing women's giant slalom during the X Olympic Winter Games. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections

Born: 11 May 1943

Birthplace: Ottawa (Canada)

Nationality: Canada

Sport: Skiing

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Squaw Valley 1960

Innsbruck 1964

Grenoble 1968

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Silver: 1

Other results:

World Championships

Gold: 1 (68)

Silver: 1 (68)

Saving the Best for Last

In 1967 Nancy Greene won the inaugural World Cup series in Alpine skiing despite missing three of nine meets. The following year she competed in her third Olympics. Previously her best finish had been a seventh place in downhill at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympic Games. At the 1968 Grenoble Games, she finished tenth in the downhill and then won the silver medal in the slalom, finishing only three tenths of a second behind Marielle Goitschel. The giant slalom was Greene's ninth Olympic race and her last chance for a victory. Fortunately, she skied a near-perfect race. But when she turned around to look at the electronic clock, the numbers were still moving. Greene thought, "I've just skied the race of my life and they missed my time". Then the clock malfunction was corrected and her time appeared. Greene had won the race by 2.64 seconds, the largest margin in the event's history.