Marit Bjørgen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marit Bjørgen
Marit Bjørgen during FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup sprint competitions in Stockholm, Sweden in March 2013
Country	Norway
Born	(1980-03-21) 21 March 1980 (age 45) Trondheim, Norway
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Spouse(s)	Fred Børre Lundberg
Ski club	Rognes IL
World Cup career
Seasons	18 – (2000–2015, 2017–2018)
Individual wins	114
Team wins	30
Indiv. podiums	184
Team podiums	37
Indiv. starts	303
Team starts	44
Overall titles	4 – (2005, 2006, 2012, 2015)
Discipline titles	8 – (3 DI, 5 SP)
Medal record Women's cross-country skiing Representing  Norway International nordic ski competitions Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 8 4 3 World Championships 18 5 3 Total 26 9 6 Olympic Games Gold 2010 Vancouver Individual sprint Gold 2010 Vancouver 15 km pursuit Gold 2010 Vancouver 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2014 Sochi 15 km skiathlon Gold 2014 Sochi 30 km freestyle Gold 2014 Sochi Team sprint Gold 2018 Pyeongchang 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2018 Pyeongchang  30 km classical  Silver 2002 Salt Lake City 4 × 5 km relay Silver 2006 Turin 10 km classical Silver 2010 Vancouver 30 km classical Silver 2018 Pyeongchang 15 km skiathlon Bronze 2010 Vancouver 10 km freestyle Bronze 2018 Pyeongchang 10 km freestyle Bronze 2018 Pyeongchang Team sprint World Championships Gold 2003 Val di Fiemme Individual sprint Gold 2005 Oberstdorf Team sprint Gold 2005 Oberstdorf 30 km classical Gold 2005 Oberstdorf 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2011 Oslo Individual sprint Gold 2011 Oslo 15 km skiathlon Gold 2011 Oslo 10 km classical Gold 2011 Oslo 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2013 Val di Fiemme Individual sprint Gold 2013 Val di Fiemme 15 km skiathlon Gold 2013 Val di Fiemme 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2013 Val di Fiemme 30 km classical Gold 2015 Falun Individual sprint Gold 2015 Falun 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2017 Lahti 10 km classical Gold 2017 Lahti 15 km skiathlon Gold 2017 Lahti 4 × 5 km relay Gold 2017 Lahti 30 km  freestyle Silver 2003 Val di Fiemme 4 × 5 km relay Silver 2005 Oberstdorf 15 km skiathlon Silver 2011 Oslo 30 km freestyle Silver 2013 Val di Fiemme 10 km freestyle Silver 2015 Falun 30 km classical Bronze 2005 Oberstdorf 10 km freestyle Bronze 2007 Sapporo Team sprint Bronze 2007 Sapporo 4 × 5 km relay Junior World Championships Bronze 1999 Saalfelden 4 × 5 km relay Bronze 2000 Štrbské Pleso 4 × 5 km relay

Marit Bjørgen (born 21 March 1980) is a famous former Norwegian cross-country skier. She is known as one of the greatest skiers of all time. Marit holds the record for the most individual wins in the Cross-Country World Cup, with 114 victories. She is also the best sprinter in World Cup history, with 29 wins.

Marit Bjørgen competed in five Winter Olympics. At the 2010 Vancouver Games, she won five medals, including three gold. By the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, her total Olympic medals reached a record 15. This made her the most decorated Winter Olympian ever. She is also the third-most decorated Olympian of all time across all sports.

Marit announced her retirement from cross-country skiing in April 2018. In May 2020, she decided to return to long-distance skiing for a short time. She focused on competing in the Vasaloppet race in March 2021. She officially ended her entire skiing career in April 2022.

Marit Bjørgen's World Cup Journey

Marit Bjørgen first became famous for her sprint races. In the 2003–04 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season, she won seven sprint events. This helped her finish second overall in the World Cup that year. Later, in the 2004–05 season, she also became very good at longer distance races.

In March 2006, Marit won her second World Cup title in Sapporo, Japan. She was ahead of Canada's Beckie Scott by 66 points before the last race. Marit finished fourth in that race, which was enough to win the overall title. She also won the sprint title for the fourth year in a row.

Marit Bjørgen in Otepää during the 2005–06 FIS Cross-Country World Cup

During the 2005–06 season, Marit stood on the podium eight times. Six of these were first-place wins. She has had 70 podium finishes in her career, with 46 first-place wins. Her favorite event is the sprint, where she has won 22 times. She also has nine wins in the 10 km race and seven in pursuit races.

Marit started competing in the World Cup in 2000. In her first season, she was 53rd overall. By the 2002–03 season, she won the sprint title and finished 6th overall. The 2003–04 season was her best at the time, as she won the sprint title again and came in second overall. She won all titles in the 2004–05 season. In 2011–12, she won the overall title for the third time.

In 2015, Marit Bjørgen won her first Tour de Ski competition. She had tried nine times before. She beat her teammate Therese Johaug by more than a minute and a half.

World Cup Season Titles

Marit Bjørgen has won 12 World Cup season titles. This includes 4 overall titles, 3 distance titles, and 5 sprint titles.

World Cup Season Standings

Season	Age	Discipline standings					Ski Tour standings
		Overall	Distance	Long Distance	Middle Distance	Sprint	Nordic Opening	Tour de Ski	World Cup Final
2000	20	NC	N/A	NC	—	NC	N/A	N/A	N/A
2001	21	53	N/A	N/A	N/A	48	N/A	N/A	N/A
2002	22	32	N/A	N/A	N/A	36	N/A	N/A	N/A
2003	23	6	N/A	N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A	N/A
2004	24		11	N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A	N/A
2005	25			N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A	N/A
2006	26		4	N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A	N/A
2007	27		4	N/A	N/A	6	N/A		N/A
2008	28	11	6	N/A	N/A	16	N/A	DNF	6
2009	29	10	9	N/A	N/A	14	N/A	10	20
2010	30			N/A	N/A		N/A	—
2011	31			N/A	N/A	4		—
2012	32			N/A	N/A
2013	33	4	6	N/A	N/A	7		—
2014	34			N/A	N/A			DNF
2015	35			N/A	N/A				N/A
2017	37	5		N/A	N/A	15	4	—
2018	38	5	5	N/A	N/A	26		—

World Championship Success

Marit Bjørgen has won an amazing 18 gold medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Twelve of these were in individual races. Her first gold medal came in 2003 in the individual sprint event. She also won a silver medal in the 4 × 5 km relay that year.

In 2005, she won three gold medals in different races. She also earned a silver and a bronze medal. At the 2007 championships, Marit won two bronze medals in team events.

At the 2011 World Championships in Oslo, Marit had an incredible performance. She won four gold medals in various races, including the sprint and 10 km classical. She also earned a silver medal in the 30 km race. In 2013, she continued her winning streak, taking home four more gold medals and one silver.

Her success continued in 2015 and 2017. In 2015, she won another gold in the individual sprint and the 4 x 5 km relay. In 2017, she added four more gold medals to her collection.

World Championship Medals

Marit Bjørgen has won a total of 26 medals at the World Championships. These include 18 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

a. Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.

Olympic Games Highlights

Marit Bjørgen had a tough time at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She got sick before the games and had to take medicine. In her first race, she had to stop because of a stomach problem. She won a silver medal in the 10 km race, but the rest of the games were difficult. She even went home early from the Olympics.

However, Marit quickly bounced back. She won the 45 km Vasaloppet race just eight days after the Olympics ended. She beat other top skiers to win this long and famous race.

Marit Bjørgen celebrates sprint gold at the 2010 Olympics

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Marit won her first Olympic gold medal in the sprint event. She also won a bronze medal in the 10 km freestyle. She then won her second gold medal in the 15 km pursuit race. Marit was also part of the team that won gold in the 4 × 5 km relay. She crossed the finish line with a big Norwegian flag. She ended her Vancouver trip with a silver medal in the 30 km race.

Marit continued her success at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She won three more gold medals: in the 15 km skiathlon, the team sprint, and the 30 km freestyle race. These three medals brought her total to ten. This tied the record for the most Winter Olympic medals won by a woman. Marit had the most gold medals among the record holders at that time.

Marit Bjørgen competed in five Winter Olympics. Her first was in Salt Lake City in 2002, where she won a silver medal. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, she won her 11th to 15th Olympic medals. This made her the athlete with the most medals in Winter Olympics history.

Olympic Medals Overview

Marit Bjørgen has won 15 Olympic medals. She has 8 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

Holmenkollen Victories

Marit Bjørgen won the women's 30 km race at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 2005. She won the same event again five years later in 2010. This was the first World Cup event held at Holmenkollen after the new ski jumping hill was built.

For her wins in both the 30 km and sprint events, and her success at the 2010 Vancouver Games, Marit received the Holmenkollen medal. This is a very special award in Norwegian skiing. On 11 March 2018, Marit won a record seventh 30 km race at Holmenkollen.

Fair Play Award

Marit Bjørgen received the International Fair Play Mecenate award in 2014. This award is given for showing great sportsmanship and being fair. The jury said Marit was chosen for her "ethical and fair play behavior" throughout her career. They also noted her "great sportsmanship and solidarity."

Asthma Medication and Rules

In the 2009–2010 season, Marit Bjørgen used an asthma medication called Symbicort. At that time, athletes needed special permission to use it. This permission was called a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Some people questioned this because the medication contained substances on a list of prohibited items. However, the International Ski Federation (FIS) had given her permission. As of September 2011, athletes no longer need a TUE for Symbicort. It can now be used by any athlete, but only up to a certain amount.

Personal Life

Marit Bjørgen lives in Holmenkollen, Oslo, with her partner Fred Børre Lundberg. Fred is also a former Olympic champion in Nordic combined skiing.

In 2015, Marit announced that she was expecting a baby. She took a break from competing during the 2016 season. Her first son was born on 26 December 2015. After retiring from skiing at the end of the 2018 season, she gave birth to her second son in March 2019.

Images for kids

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  Marit Bjørgen in Otepää during the 2005–06 FIS Cross-Country World Cup

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  Marit Bjørgen celebrates sprint gold at the 2010 Olympics

See also

In Spanish: Marit Bjørgen para niños