Frank Prihoda was the oldest living Australian Olympian when he passed away in 2022 at the age of 101. 

Born in the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) in 1921, Frank went skiing for the first time at the age of 8, before picking up the sport more seriously at the age of 13.

After escaping from his native country in 1949 with his brother-in-law, Frank arrived in Melbourne in February of 1950. Soon after his arrival, he commenced skiing on weekends at Mt Buller, Victoria. He quickly built a name for himself, taking up some informal coaching and competing in the Victorian, NSW and national ski championships. Eventually, he got selected in the Australian team for the 1956 Olympic Winter Games, his naturalisation requirements fast-tracked to ensure his nomination.

Frank competed in the Giant Slalom and Slalom events at Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956, Australia’s second appearance in Alpine skiing. His sister Sasha Nekvapil had already become an Olympian in 1948, representing Czechoslovakia at the St Moritz Olympic Winter Games before deciding to flee her native country. She did not return home with the team and eventually joined her brother in Australia.

After the Games Prihoda started taking up administrative and organisational roles with the Victorian Ski Association, first becoming the chairman of their Race Committee and then taking up the role of President. He moved to Thredbo in 1972 and has lived there since.

His family started the first ski lodge business in Thredbo and for 27 years Frank ran a shop selling souvenirs and gifts. He was also active in the community, becoming a foundation member of the Thredbo Historical Society and carrying the Olympic Torch in 2000, when he lit the cauldron on the Village Green on the torch's journey towards Sydney.

Prihoda retired in late 2001, but did not stop skiing until much later, when he turned 90.