Steven Bradbury has long since ended his active career in short track, but is still a legend in Australia.
His sensational Olympic gold in Salt Lake City in 2002, where the rest of the field fell, is a strong memory for many.
On Saturday, he made himself known again as a hero, but now in a different way.
The 48-year-old was surfing with his son on a beach in the state of Queensland in northeastern Australia when he suddenly saw something out in the waves.
- I saw what looked like a head out in the area where the two meter high waves hit, Bradbury says and says that the adrenaline rush was immediate and that he instinctively threw himself out to save the person, while the son ran towards the lifeguard tower 800 meters further away .
Among the waves, Bradbury found Zoe, a young girl struggling to stay afloat after being pulled out by a tidal current.
- The horror on her face was ... I have continued to see it in front of my eyes for the last two days, I can not forget it.
He managed to get the girl up on his own surfboard, but pretty soon Bradbury realized that three more girls needed help and did the same with them.
The waves kept hitting them until the lifeguards contacted by Bradbury's son could come out with a boat and take everyone to safety.
The first girl rescued, Zoe, was given oxygen but the others survived without physical injuries.
- I did not think I would manage if no one came and saved us, I would not have had a chance, says one of the other girls.