ICNX
Ole Einar Bjørndalen

Biathlon · Norway

Ole Einar
Bjørndalen

World Nr. 1
1World Nr. 1
World Champion
20World Champion
Olympic Medal
8Olympic Medal
Never Been Done
1Never Been Done
3Legend
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Photo: Foto: Vow , edited by me Okino / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Four biathlon events at one Olympics. He won all four. Nobody has done it before or since.

About Ole Einar

Ole Einar Bjørndalen is a Norwegian biathlete widely regarded as the greatest in the sport's history. Over six Olympic Games he won 13 medals, eight of them gold, including a sweep of all four events at Salt Lake City 2002. He holds the record for World Championship golds with 20 from 45 Worlds medals, won six overall World Cup titles and 95 individual World Cup races. He retired in April 2018.

The moments

Iconic
achievements

Olympic Medal
1998

Bjorndalen Claims First Olympic Gold in 10km Sprint

At 24, Bjorndalen captured his first Olympic gold in the 10 km sprint, marking a defining moment in his biathlon career.

Never Been Done
2002

Bjorndalen Sweeps All Four Biathlon Golds at One Games

Bjorndalen won all four biathlon events at a single Winter Games — individual, sprint, pursuit and relay. It remains the only complete sweep in the sport's Olympic history.

World Nr. 1
2009

Bjorndalen Claims Sixth Overall World Cup Title

Bjorndalen secured the sixth overall title of his Biathlon World Cup career, capping a run at the top of the sport's premier season-long standings.

Legend
2009

Bjorndalen Takes 87th World Cup Win, Most by Any Skier

Ole Einar Bjorndalen claimed his 87th World Cup victory, overtaking Ingemar Stenmark for the most World Cup wins by any skier. He would go on to finish with 95.

Legend
2010

Bjorndalen Wins Relay Gold, Most Decorated Biathlete

Bjorndalen anchored the relay to gold, cementing his status as the most decorated biathlete in Olympic history.

Olympic Medal
2014

Bjorndalen Wins Sprint Gold at 40, Oldest in History

At 40, Bjorndalen won the 10 km sprint to become the oldest individual gold medallist in Winter Olympic history.

Legend
2014

Bjorndalen Wins 13th Medal, Most in Winter Games History

Ole Einar Bjorndalen anchored Norway to gold in the first Olympic mixed biathlon relay, claiming a 13th medal to become the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time.

World Champion
2016

Bjorndalen Reaches 20th World Championship Gold

Bjorndalen collected his 20th World Championship gold, more than any biathlete before him, adding to a career haul of 45 Worlds medals.

The record

  1. 1998Bjorndalen Claims First Olympic Gold in 10km SprintOlympic Medal
  2. 2002Bjorndalen Sweeps All Four Biathlon Golds at One GamesNever Been Done
  3. 2009Bjorndalen Claims Sixth Overall World Cup TitleWorld Nr. 1
  4. 2009Bjorndalen Takes 87th World Cup Win, Most by Any SkierLegend
  5. 2010Bjorndalen Wins Relay Gold, Most Decorated BiathleteLegend
  6. 2014Bjorndalen Wins Sprint Gold at 40, Oldest in HistoryOlympic Medal
  7. 2014Bjorndalen Wins 13th Medal, Most in Winter Games HistoryLegend
  8. 2016Bjorndalen Reaches 20th World Championship GoldWorld Champion