Marit Bjørgen
Marit Bjørgen is a Norwegian former cross-country skier and the most decorated Winter Olympian, with 15 medals across five Olympic Games.
2018 Winter Olympics: The Winter Olympic Games held in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February 2018. Bjørgen won five medals in PyeongChang, becoming the Winter Olympics’ most decorated athlete.
Cross-country skiing: A form of skiing in which athletes travel across snow-covered terrain using their own locomotion. It is the endurance sport in which Bjørgen competed throughout her career.
Therese Johaug: A Norwegian former cross-country skier who won Olympic and world-championship titles. Johaug became a leading Norwegian teammate and rival during Bjørgen’s later career.
Most decorated Winter Olympians: Athletes ranked by the total number of medals won at the Winter Olympic Games. Bjørgen’s 15 medals set the benchmark for Winter Olympic medal totals.
2010 Winter Olympics: The Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver, Canada, in February 2010. Bjørgen won three gold medals in Vancouver, her breakthrough as an Olympic champion.
Sprint (cross-country skiing): A short cross-country skiing race, usually contested in heats after a qualification round. Bjørgen’s first Olympic medal came in the sprint at the 2002 Games.
Justyna Kowalczyk: A Polish former cross-country skier and four-time Olympic medalist. Kowalczyk was a prominent international rival in Bjørgen’s peak years.
Olympic medal: An award presented to athletes who place among the top finishers in an Olympic event. Her record consists of medals accumulated across five editions of the Winter Games.
2002 Winter Olympics: The Winter Olympic Games held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in February 2002. Her Olympic debut included a silver medal in the sprint.
Skiathlon: A cross-country skiing race combining classical and freestyle techniques, with a mid-race ski change. Her Olympic titles included skiathlon victories requiring proficiency in both techniques.