As you’re no doubt aware, as you are reading this then chances are that new sporting legends are being made. As the Winter Olympics 2022 is taking place in Beijing, there will be those who are achieving their lifetime dreams and ambitions. Many a star has been made at the Winter Olympics where events have seen competitors returning home as national heroes, and even celebrities.
With the next generation of athletes vying to take gold, we thought that it would be a great opportunity (or even an excuse) to reminisce. There have been some great performances in the past, and here we have chosen the three that, we think, stand out the most.
Ole Einar Bjorndalen – Biathlon
The biathlon has its origins in military patrol and sees cross country skiing being combined with rifle shooting. It is hardly a modern-day sport, but it is one that is exceptionally competitive and one that fans love to watch. It has become a staple of the Winter Olympics and the sport that everyone wants to watch, and every athlete wants to win. One particular athlete has done this time and time again!
Ole Einar Bjorndalen represents Norway and boasts five solo gold medals as well as a further three from relay events. His first gold came in 1998 during the Nagano Winter Olympics and once he got a taste for it, he just kept on winning. While he may never have achieved the fame of some of the stars from the Summer Olympics, Bjorndalen is certainly an exceptional athlete and one who deserves recognition.
Devon Harris – Bobsleigh
The 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary saw history being made. This was the first time that the Jamaicans had fielded a bobsleigh team. With Harris being one of the founding members, he is open about the struggles that were faced and the challenges that had to be overcome just to get to Calgary. This later inspired the film, Cool Runnings.
The team didn’t leave with a medal, but they had made history. Devon Harris spoke with Betway Insider and recalled how the team felt: “ All of us were apprehensive to go back home because we felt that we had let our country down….. Man, it couldn’t have been any different. People were very supportive…”.
Marit Bjorgen – Cross-country skiing
There was no way that such a list could leave out Bjorgen. Why? Well, she is the most successful athlete in the history of the Winter Olympics. Her medal tally sees her with eight golds, four silver, and three bronze. This sees Bjorgen has been the third most successful Olympian of all time only being outdone by the swimmer, Phelps, and the Soviet gymnast, Larisa Latynina.
Bjorgen certainly wasn’t an overnight success. Her Olympic debut came in 2002, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she would take her first gold. Like the others included here, Bjorgen’s story, and ultimate success, highlights the need for perseverance if you are looking to succeed in the Winter Olympics.