Athlete profile: Lara Magoni

Posted: Tue February 3, 1998 at 5:00 PM ET

Athlete notes

Redefining the term "late bloomer," a 28 year-old Magoni entered the slalom's elite last season after several years of largely mediocre skiing...she had never mounted a World Cup podium prior to the 1997 season, but accomplished that feat four times last year, including a win at Vail...her season highlight, though, was a second-place in the World Championships' slalom in Sestriere in her home country..."It was a great experience because it was my best result," says Magoni, who finished second to double gold medalist teammate Deborah Compagnoni. "In the world of skiing, if you don't win, nobody knows you. Everybody likes me very much now after Sestriere"...previously, Magoni was best known for not being related to former Italian alpine skier Paoletta Magoni, who became the first Italian woman to win an Olympic gold when she won the slalom in Sarajevo in 1984...ironically, besides sharing the same Events, Lara grew up only 500 yards from Paoletta's home..."When Paoletta won in 1984 she was very young," explains Lara. "So when I came up, everybody thought I was her sister"...Magoni began as an all-around skier but has gradually dropped events as she continued skiing..."I used to be a downhiller too but I am getting older and older so I've just done the slalom for two years," says Magoni, who did compete in some giant slalom events in the early part of the '96 season, and even finished second in the Italian national championships. "I never thought that I would just be doing one discipline"...her decision to specialize was also motivated by a series of injuries in the late 1980s which diminished her speed...she has been relatively injury-free of late, except for an Achilles tendon injury during the 1995 season...a veteran of both Albertville and Lillehammer, Magoni's Olympic slalom result dropped four spots to 16th but she did place sEventsh in the GS in '94..."It was a positive experience," says Magoni simply of her past Olympics. "My goal for this season is Nagano"...a sound technical skier, Magoni believes she needs to add a killer instinct -- something which belies her serene, soft-spoken personality..."I would like to demonstrate more aggressiveness," says Magoni. "I want to be more ‘bad'"...the same person who seems to be listening to Michael Jackson is an active practicioner of yoga...she began trying it in 1992 and now spends at least two to three times a week with the relaxation exercise..."I love serenity," she says. "The key is to concentrate and isolate yourself. Psychology has been my friend since childhood, I really think this helps my skiing"...Magoni started skiing when she was three years old...her father, Luigi, a ski teacher, introduced her to the sport..."My first slalom race was when I was six," recalls Lara. "I didn't understand anything about the gates so my father skied down in front of me and I followed. He went out near the end so no one at the finish would see him, and I went out too because I just assumed that was what I was supposed to do"...her father and mother, Antonia, also run a hotel in Selvino and Lara used to work in the dining room...the hotel is named Hotel Marcellino...her parents thought they would have a boy and were ready to name him Marcellino...instead, they had a daughter, named her Lara Marcella and saved the Marcellino name for the hotel, as well as for Lara's younger brother...she also has a sister, Barbara, who used to ski on the national team...quiet by nature, Magoni has no qualms in not having the fame of Compagnoni..."I like painting, walking, and reading," she says. "I'm a quiet person"...still, she enjoyed the fact that after her result in Sestriere, she was able to some famous people in Italy..."I met all sorts of interesting people," she says. "The one I remember most is Ambrogio Fogar," referring to a modern-day Italian renaissance man who has done expeditions to Antarctica but is now partially paralyzed after he had an accident while participating in the famed Paris-Dakar rally...Magoni also likes to spend time with her two dogs..."I have two big dogs and they love skiing," laughs Lara. "Usually, they watch the races (on television) with my parents but I took them to Sestriere"...she is considering going into television after her skiing career...Lara does not speak English, but does know some French...