Even during interviews, Théo Gmür is carefully timed: the conversation will last ten minutes, last Friday evening, not a minute longer. There are no exceptions and no extra time granted, even for someone who has already achieved it all: a triple Paralympic champion at the 2018 Games, with nine gold medals across five disciplines (downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and alpine combined).
And although he doesn’t particularly enjoy being reminded of it, after 16 years competing at the highest level, Théo Gmür has nothing left to prove. Yet he is still held to account… by his watch.
« A Privilege of Its Own »
Théo Gmür wears an Omega watch and has been one of the brand’s athletes since 2018. The Olympic dimension of the manufacture is its most visible side: it can be seen trackside, on screens around the world, and on the suits of every champion partnered with the brand. “Being an Omega athlete is truly a privilege of its own. We’ve been seeing the brand’s advertising for decades and, where I grew up in Valais, I’ve known Omega as the official timekeeper since my very first downhill races. It means a great deal to become, a few years later, part of that family myself,” says Théo Gmür. But the partnership extends far beyond that. Away from the cameras, the athlete still lives life at full speed.
“I constantly keep an eye on my Omega, because my schedule is extremely busy. I work with the International Olympic Committee, I have my own training sessions, and I travel frequently. Sticking to a schedule isn’t only important in downhill racing, it’s a personal discipline I follow every day,” explains Théo Gmür. Although he has already won almost everything, he believes he still has a few opportunities left. “I think winning gold at the next Olympics is achievable, even if things didn’t unfold exactly as planned in Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics,” where he finished well short of his usual podium places. “As long as the passion remains, you have to keep going, and the difficult moments are simply lessons to learn from for the future,” the athlete reflects.
One last gold medal in 2030?
The support of Omega could prove decisive as Théo Gmür sets his sights on winning the precious metal one last time. His performances will be watched even more closely given that this year he served as one of the flag bearers for the Swiss delegation at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. His mother , who normally “doesn’t like watching me ski downhill at all”, even made the short trip from Valais to Milan to see her son compete. There is little doubt she will make the same short journey again to watch him, this time on the other side of the Alps in France in 2030. Her supportive presence means a great deal to Théo Gmür: “At Milan–Cortina, it was the first time she came to see me compete live, right by the course. I tried to ski as fast as possible, but also as carefully as I could so I wouldn’t scare her!” the athlete says with a smile.
In this life measured by Omega, every hundredth of a second matters. Yet as he enters the final third of his career on the slopes, Théo Gmür seems increasingly aware of the scale of his journey, his victories, his travels, and the sponsors like Omega who believe in him. “You shouldn’t forget to enjoy it. I have an extraordinary destiny: I experience memorable moments, I travel a great deal, and I make a living from my passion. You have to savour every moment.” An epicurean athlete.
