Johnny Jahr might not go home from Sochi with a gold medal in curling but it seems the German curler will return to some comfort in Hamburg. Jahr, who, at 48, is the oldest curler at the Games is wealthy, wealthy, wealthy. How wealthy? According to this story in the Associated Press, really wealthy.
In an everyman sport full of characters with interesting backstories, Jahr — the oldest curler competing in these Winter Games — probably has one of the most captivating of the lot.He is a major shareholder in two casinos, including one in his home town of Hamburg in northern Germany. He controls part of a huge German publishing house, Gruner + Jahr, which was co-founded by his grandfather and brought in revenues of 2.22 billion euros (now $3 billion) in the financial year of 2012. And he spends most of his time working in property development and investment management.
Older curling fans may remember Jahr's name from back in the 1980s and 1990s when he was a regular with Rodger Schmidt. But he hung up his broom in 2000, only to return for a shot at the Olympics. He's been off the scene so long many of today's top curlers don't know him.
Despite his past achievements, some members of the new generation of curlers don’t know much about him.
Canada skip Brad Jacobs said before the Olympics that he barely knew Germany’s team.
Sweden skip Niklas Edin had a blank look when Jahr’s name was mentioned. He was then informed that Jahr is a millionaire.
“Now I will get to know him!” Edin said.
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