The SNOWBOARD GOLD BOY: Victor Wild

SOCHI, February 22, 2014 - He was born in the United States, but has just won two gold medals for Russia. His name is Vic Wild, 2014 Sochi Olympic champion in Men's Parallel Giant Slalom and Men's Parallel Slalom. His private life is well known in Russia, since it is precisely because of his love for colleague, and wife, Alena Zavarzina, 24, bronze medallist in Ladies' Parallel Giant Slalom, that he decided to move from the U.S. to Moscow.

Until 2011, Vic played for the U.S. team, and at one point even managed to get pretty good results, thus, only twice since 2004, he managed to break into the Top 10.  By the way, not so good than the recently two gold medals achieved in the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park.
Just before Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games Vic has placed 4th at the World Cup event in Bad Gastein (Austria) and his wife said 'Vic Wilde Era begins!'. The transition to the Russian team gave him a second chance in snowboarding since in the U.S., his career was coming to an end.

As Victor An, the Korean-Russian that leads in short track with 3 gold medals (1000m, 500m, 5000m relay) and one bronze (1500m), also this another not-native russian seems to be loved by his new country.

"Russia is a country that made it possible for me to win - he has said after winning gold for Russia - If I have stayed in the US, I'd probably would have be still sitting at home, doing some ordinary job.. I always wanted to do something different." And regarding the controversy about his new citizenship he declares: "I am not some American guy that decided it would be easier to get to Olympics in a country where snowboarding is not developed that well. I have chosen a difficult path, and I have walked it to the end"

With him, from march 2011, Alena Zavarzina, that has become "the right one" after accepting an initial proposal from Vic. ""We just started dating and I suggested, let's go to my father in Mexico, it's six thousand miles away,  any other girl would have said no - he told - Alena said that she has dreamt all her life about it. After this trip, I realized that in general it was time to get married"