Australia’s oldest Olympian Frank Prihoda — who escaped homeland on skis — dies aged 101

Australia‘s oldest Olympian who fled communist Czechoslovakia on skis before representing Australia in one winter games in 1956 has died aged 101.

Frank Prihoda, who migrated to Australia in 1950 after fleeing communist Czechoslovakia, along with his sister Sasha and her husband Karel Nekvapil, competed in alpine skiing at the 1956 games in Italy.

Prihoda and Nekvapil made their daring escape from Czechoslovakia on skis, while Sasha absconded from the returning Czech Winter Olympic team shortly after the 1948 Olympic Games in St Moritz.

AOC president Ian Chesterman said Prihoda was a “trailblazer” for Australian winter sport.

“Frank was a much-loved figure in Australian winter sport. He was a trailblazer,” he said.

“I had the great pleasure of catching up with Frank for his birthday this year and he was immensely proud of the progress winter sport has made in Australia over the years.

“He maintained a great love of winter sports and the Olympic movement throughout his life and he was very much engaged with the efforts of our current athletes.

“Frank came to this country as a young man at a turbulent time in his country of birth and we are so grateful that he made Australia his home. He had a remarkable life but was very humble about his achievements.

“He will be very much missed by the entire winter community.”

Prihoda spent his life on the mountains at Thredbo in NSW where he ran a souvenir shop and later volunteered at the local museum, only retiring from skiing aged 90.

His Olympic achievements are the most cherished of memories, which he reiterated ahead of his 99th birthday.

“It was a big thing, it meant a lot to me. I was very proud and humbled that after just five years, I was able to walk under the flag, representing Australia,” he said.

“Because of that, all I wanted was to do my best for my adoptive country.”

In 2020, Frank was awarded the Snow Australia Medal to honour his contribution to snow sports in Australia. He was further honoured that year when a ski run at Thredbo was named in his honour.

“Frank’s Face” sits between two other features – a ski run named after his sister Sasha and a T-bar named after his brother-in-law Karel.