Katya Kulinicheva tells how the 8-time Olympic champion, 20-time world champion and the hero of this winter remains in shape. And what else can we learn from him.
When Emil Hegle Svendsen, a junior colleague of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen in the Norwegian national team, was once asked if he considered himself capable of catching up with his compatriot in terms of greatness, he replied with a laugh: "Yes, I can hardly even reach his ankles." For a pair of his competition skis, fans are offering 60,000 €. A lifetime monument was erected to him.
The sporting longevity of the king of biathlon, who humorously says "my old body" in his own address, has long been a topic for inquisitive discussions among sports fans. Many do not understand how he does it, or why. Its last, eighth olympic gold Bjoerndalen won in 2014 in Sochi, just two years ago. Despite his promises to leave biathlon at the end of this season, it would be correct to clarify: "the last for the moment." After all, he had already changed his mind once.
Since 2002, Bjoerndalen has been training mostly according to individual plans, periodically attracting various specialists of different profiles to his team. He is known to experiment a lot. With the construction of the shoes, the shape of the poles, with training programs and psychological preparation... Once I turned to a specialist in coal handling. And for this season, for example, I was preparing with a special mobile center in a small van that combines a training block and a laboratory. Ole Einar himself says in this regard: "When I am in a good mood and achieve success, I become very creative."
The Norwegian is quite willing to share those details of his sports regime that may be useful to mere mortals. For example, he advises to practice different kinds sports, and not dwell on one thing - this helps to better understand your own body and, as a result, to avoid unnecessary injuries.
Once, Ole Einar recorded a short video course for one of his sponsors from three exercises with sticks for nordic walk, which will help everyone to get ready for the ski season.
- Nordic walking on hilly terrain with a natural range of motion to strengthen the hips and torso.
- Move with the same sticks, but as if bouncing, minimally bending the leg at the hip joint to strengthen the legs. According to the athlete, this is how moose run.
- Walking with Nordic walking sticks, bouncing on each leg and simultaneously performing twisting movements with the body, much like children do.
Bjoerndalen also publicly confessed his love for bananas, which he considers the best snack during active training, an excellent alternative to sports drinks and a means of preventing muscle cramps. The biathlete himself calculated that during his career he ate more than 30,000 pieces of these fruits.
In general, Ole Einar speaks quite a lot about food and with pleasure, although he calls himself a generally unassuming person. Once he even admitted that he takes food at least five times a day, and the first thought with which he usually wakes up is just about food.
“You can say that I'm always hungry,” the Norwegian admitted. "Although it's normal for an athlete: if you train a lot, then you eat a lot."
Ole Einar's culinary preferences partly shatter the image of a boring and regular superman slightly out of this world that exists in the imagination of many people. As well as a photo topless in bed in the company of a couple of dozen white teddy bears, which he posted on Twitter on the last day of the Sochi Olympics. Bjoerndalen confessed his love for Italian cuisine, which he called optimal for professional athlete, sushi and ice cream (favorite dessert). He can afford it: with a height of almost 180 cm, the athlete has a medium-sized constitution and weighs a little less than 70 kg.
And not so long ago, Ole Einar, together with fellow athletes, took part in the work on a book called "Gold in the Mouth", in which famous Norwegian champions shared their favorite recipes.
But Bjoerndalen is interesting to everyone not only for his exercises and recipes. What else can his brilliant career teach him?
For example, the fact that a favorite thing has on a person no less noticeable cosmetic effect than all masks and creams in the world. Compare his current photos with those 15 years ago (most likely, the comparison will be in favor of modern photos). Look into his burning eyes. Think if he seems like a grandfather in the company of young colleagues?
“Different things could happen to my body, and sometimes it made it difficult to achieve results in sports. But I've never had a problem with incentives, ”says Bjoerndalen.
Is it any wonder that two years ago he changed his mind about leaving the sport and stayed for two more seasons?
“I was going to end my career after the Olympics, but I was not ready for this, - explained the Norwegian. “Putting an end to a long-standing passion is never easy. And I have been professionally engaged in biathlon since I was 12 or 13 years old: nine workouts a week, and so on from year to year. I realized that I want to run for another two years, and I’ll be very sorry if I don’t try. ”
In their history is the Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. site tells why National Olympic Committee Norway decided to take this step, as well as who will replace the legendary athlete in the national team.
These Games were to be the last for the most successful biathlete in history. In the summer, Ole Einar prepared for the Olympics, trying to bring himself to peak form by February. Unfortunately, there were some problems. The 43-year-old Norwegian, who also visited Raubichi, felt not in the best possible way, but continued to brave, not focusing on his failures in preparation period... The three-time Sochi 2014 champion and Bjoerndalen's wife Daria Domracheva recently told NRK that her husband's difficulties were quite serious.
- At first he had problems in preparation in the summer. I think few athletes could handle it at all. But still he began to compete in the World Cup. However, perhaps due to the fact that it all happened shortly before the season, it was difficult to get back in shape at the beginning when it was very important.
Bjoerndalen himself again modestly denied himself, calling the problems "unpleasant little things."
Be that as it may, Bjoerndalen started the season well. He was 18th twice in the first stage of the World Cup. Then, few doubted that Ole would easily fulfill the standards in the next races, but the results began to decline. In Hochfilzen, the Norwegian finished 28th in the sprint and fell outside the top 40 in pursuit.
Bjoerndalen did not go to the third stage in France, having gone with Domracheva to another training camp. And if Daria benefited from additional training, then Ole was again far from the necessary conditions. In the sprint on the track in Oberhof, he was only 52nd with two penalties, and in the pursuit he was 36th. The stage in Ruhpolding was approaching, after which the coaching staff of the Norwegians planned to decide on the six who would go to Pyeongchang.
Brothers Boe and Emil Hegle Svendsen met all the standards at the beginning of the season. They repeatedly hit the top 12 at the stages, without raising doubts about their candidacy. The remaining three places were claimed by four: Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Lars Birkeland, Erlend Biontegard and Henrik L'Abe-Lund. The challenge is to be in the top 12 individual races twice (or once in the top 6) or to be in the top six Norwegians overall. In previous years, Bjoerndalen could have easily dealt with these three, but now their results looked much more preferable.
Birkeland has been in the top 12 four times in individual races and has shown himself to be an excellent relay starter. In the overall standings, he is on the border of the top ten and even bypassed Svendsen.
L'Abe-Lund was also many times ahead of Bjoerndalen, and in Hochfilzen he was twice in the top 10. In the overall standings, he is now in 24th place.
Finally, the main rival of Ole Einar was the least known biathlete of this composition, Erlend Biontegard. The 28-year-old native of Kongsberg regularly ranks seventh when he was not on the national team. He was not taken to the Olympic Games and only once was included in the application for the World Championship. What can I say, even at the World Cup stages Erlend is an infrequent guest. When it became clear that it was he, and not Bjoerndalen, who could go to Pyeongchang, Biontegard felt uncomfortable, saying that he would normally make the decision of the coaches if they chose Ole. But better than any words for Erlend, in the end, his results said. He was not recruited for the stages in Östersund and Oberhof, but he took advantage of his chance at Annecy when Bjoerndalen left for the training camp. In the sprint and mass start, the 28-year-old biathlete finished tenth, immediately completing the standard in the form of two hits among the top 12 riders in individual races.
Erlend Biontegard, laagendalsposten.no Everything was decided in an individual in Ruhpolding. Neither Bjontegard nor Bjoerndalen got into the mass start, and therefore the 20 km race with four firing lines was the last test. To get to the Olympics, Ole Einar needed to be in the top six, but the coaching staff would surely have convinced any high result of Bjoerndalen, provided that Bjontegord performed worse. Before the start, the veteran was focused. He understood that the key factor would not be so much physical form how much shooting, because for each miss in individual race a minute of the penalty is given.
Bjoerndalen started the race at a good pace and passed the first shooting line without fail. Ole secured his success on the counter. By the third shooting, he was fifth, and Biontegard had already made two penalties by that time. Alas, it was the third firing line that became fatal for Bjoerndalen. He unexpectedly missed twice on prone. At the last shooting, Ole Einar added one more penalty to his liability and went to the finish circle. In the final protocol of his most important race in this World Cup, he finished 42nd. it worst result in a team. Even Siostad Christiansen, who did not claim a ticket to Pyeongchang Vetle, ran better. Biontegard, like Ole Einar, missed three times, but took 21st place. On the track, he was faster than Bjoerndalen by a full minute.
After that, the coach of the Norwegian men's national team, Siegfried Maze, faced a difficult dilemma. On the one hand, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen did not fulfill the selection criteria, on the other hand, the rejection of the great champion could anger the fans. Had Maze had a choice, he probably would have limited himself to a four-person bid altogether. It is clear that it will be difficult for L'Abe-Lund and Biontegord to fight for medals, and then coaching staff Bjoerndalen will be remembered many times. But if Maze Ole Einar, who would also hardly have joined the fight for awards, would have started a fuss about non-observance of the sports principle.
Maze decided to focus on the selection criteria. Birkeland, Bjontegard and L'Abe-Lund did them, Bjoerndalen did not. Albeit not immediately, but still agreed with the opinion of the coaches and originally advocated the inclusion of Ole Einar, the National Olympic Committee of Norway, which approves the applications for the Games.
- We had thorough discussions with the sports directorate of the biathlon federation. Unfortunately, it was decided not to include Ole Einar Bjoerndalen in the Pyeongchang Olympics. Its results in this season do not give hope to count on good result... Other biathletes did better and deserved the opportunity to compete at the Games. It is difficult to make such decisions, given the merits of Bjoerndalen. His name will forever remain in history Olympic movement Norway, - quotes the words of the representative of the NOC of Norway Tore Evrebo channel NRK.
It's hard to disagree with Everebo. The decision of the Norwegian side is difficult, but fair. There is no doubt that this step will be discussed before, during and long after the Olympics. But it is much more important now to pay tribute to the great champion, who at 43 decided to enter the fight for the selection for the Olympics in the team with the most competitive in the world. Bjoerndalen does not live on the moon, he was well aware that his experience and endurance were no longer as effective in modern biathlon with these explosive speeds and crazy intensity. At his age, it is already difficult to digest loads sufficient for a competitive struggle. But Bjoerndalen fought to the end and looked dignified. His results were enough to qualify for any national team in the world except Norway and Germany.
Failure to qualify for the Olympics will not make him any less great or take away legendary status. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen will be eightfold tomorrow Olympic champion, 20-time world champion, 135-time winner of the World Cup races and the best biathlete in history. Well, we will once again regret that the International Olympic Committee does not issue wild-cards outside the selection criteria, following the example of the organizers of tennis tournaments.
Anyone who is even a little interested in biathlon, and just sports life, there is no need to explain who Ole Einar Bjoerndalen is. This is probably one of the most titled athletes in the history of biathlon. In addition, this is an athlete with no age at all. It seems that he has always been and always will be, will take part in more than one Olympics and receive well-deserved awards. Nevertheless, he is already 41 years old - a respectable age for any sport.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen biography.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen was born in Drammen, Norway, on a frosty January day on January 27, 1974. Ole also has an older brother, Dag, and a younger brother, Hans Anton, as well as two sisters. There are very few Norwegian children who would not ski and whom their parents would not send to skiing. The elder brother was the first to go to biathlon and became a shooting skier, Ole followed him. The youngest did not lag behind the brothers, with whom he and Ole subsequently formed the backbone of the national biathlon team.
Ole has been involved in biathlon since the age of 12. Ski training he was already good at that time, so soon Ole begins to compete in serious competitions. In principle, Ole won victories in skiing but what attracted him in biathlon was the ability to switch from dynamic skiing to calm and balanced shooting. It is very difficult and not given to everyone. Although, according to the athlete himself, shooting was not very good for him, the shooter's talent was clearly not there.
Therefore, after working with a psychologist, he simply began to train a lot in shooting - 5 times a week, 2 times a day. Since then, he himself gives advice that if there is no special ability for something, then you just need to study a lot and everything will turn out even better than those who have talent.
His debut took place when the athlete was 18 years old. And it was not a junior competition. In 1992, he took part in competitions among serious biathletes. And 2 years later, the first Olympics took place in Lillehamer. True, these competitions did not bring Ole any awards, due to the lack of experience. But already in the next season, his triumphant ascent to the sports Olympus began.
Ole's finest hour was the Olympic Games in Nagano in 98th year, where he took gold and silver.
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However, his greatest triumph awaited him four years later in Salt Lake City. There he became the first four times in different races. In the same year, he won other significant competitions. Then he had more or less successful seasons. Before the Sochi Olympics, Ole announced that it would be the end of his sports career. However, having shown brilliant results at the Olympics, not losing in the least to young colleagues, he decided that he would like to still feel the taste of victory and remained in sports until the World Championships in Oslo in 1916.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen is rightfully called the king of biathlon, no one has such a number of victories and well-deserved awards, and no one else has held personal primacy for so long. But such achievements are a huge work of the athlete himself. According to him, he constantly monitors the development of sports, what other, younger athletes bring to it, learns from them. Moreover, for this, it is enough for him to carefully observe their manner of performance at competitions, and then simply copy. Therefore, even in his forty years, he continues to improve and improve his technique.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, personal life
Ole tries not to talk about his personal life with numerous correspondents. He doesn't like this kind of questioning. From his ex-wife Natalie Sunter, Italian biathlete, he met back in 1998, since then they have been together, as far as their busy sports schedule allowed. They got married in 2006. Despite the long years of marriage, they never had children. In 2012, the couple decided to divorce, which they very discreetly told reporters, without disclosing details.
Most believe that this happened because of the beginning of an affair between Ole and a Belarusian biathlete. Daria Domracheva... While some believe that the lovemaker has nothing to do with it, Ole's difficult nature is to blame. Be that as it may, Bjoerndalen is now alone, but surrounded by thick rumors about his upcoming wedding with Daria. Neither Ole nor Daria give any comments regarding their future marriage, and the reporters were also unable to photograph them together.
However, more recently, Bjoerndalen himself said in an interview that after the wedding, he and Daria intend to settle in Moscow, which would be more comfortable for both, since Daria would not want to live in Norway, and Ole in Minsk. Moscow could become a connecting link for them. Therefore, soon we will see a new beautiful union of outstanding athletes.
UPD: April 5, 2016 it became known that in October this year, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Daria Domracheva will become parents.
Bjoerndalen announced this at a press conference.
“I had a good friendship with Daria for a long time. V recent times she developed a little ... And it got to the point that we will become parents!
We are looking forward to it. And we are very happy, ”said Bjoerndalen.
If you love sports, then on our website you can find a lot of wonderful photos and biographies.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen is a Norwegian biathlete who over the years has become a real symbol of his sport. His track record includes countless victories won at various world championships and Olympic competitions... In terms of the total number of awards, our today's hero is the most titled athlete in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. That is why, even before the end of his career, the talented Norwegian is called the "King of Biathlon". But what else can you tell about our today's hero? Learn about the most interesting events from the life of the great and terrible Ulle, you can from our article.Early years, childhood and family of Ole Einar Bjørndalen
Ole Einar Bjørndalen was born on January 27, 1974 in the Norwegian city of Drammen, but as a child he moved with his family to another settlement - Simostranda. Already with early years our today's hero was fond of different kinds sports. His studies practically did not occupy him, and therefore the Norwegian devoted most of his time to football, handball, cycling and athletics.The love for sports was passed on to the young guy from his father. At one time, Björndalen Sr. achieved good success in athletics, but later he was still forced to leave the sport due to material difficulties and responsibilities associated with maintaining a family. In the future, the father of our today's hero was engaged in farming. Often, in everyday affairs, the man was helped by his sons, among whom Ole Einar was the middle one. Also, in the family of the future famous athlete there were also two sisters.
As for the passion for biathlon, it appeared in Ole's soul relatively late. First, the boy's elder brother, Dag, began to engage in this sport, who subsequently made a good career in professional sports... Thus, Ole Einar Bjørndalen simply followed in his footsteps. The guys began to train together. But later they parted ways.
Thanks to the good skiing, already in his teens, Ole Einar managed to make an excellent impression on some of the prominent Norwegian coaches. He began to study in the best academies in his country, and therefore soon began to appear at the junior world championships. After a series loud victories at the “younger” age level, Ole Einar was transferred to the adult group.
In the 1992/1993 season, he first appeared at the World Championships, and a year later he went with the Norwegian national team to winter Olympics to Lillehammer. At the Olympic Games "home" for the Norwegian national team, the young athlete performed quite confidently, but the lack of experience did not allow him to take a high place in the end. The best result that season was the seventh place in the team relay.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen's Star Trek in Biathlon
Ole Einar Bjørndalen achieved his first major success in 1996, having won a silver medal at the “summer” world championship in Hochfilzen. After that, medals of various denominations began to appear in his track record with amazing regularity. In the 1996/1997 season, Ole won his first gold medal at the World Championships in Krakow (4x4 relay), and then also won bronze in the individual sprint.Einar Bjoerndalen took gold in Sochi 2014
The 1997/1998 season and the Olympic Games in Nagano that fell on it became even more striking in the Norwegian's career. That season, the talented young biathlete managed to win his first Olympic medals - gold in the personal 10 km sprint and silver in the team relay. It was at this moment that the victories of Ole Einar Bjørndalen ceased to seem to spectators and specialists as a happy coincidence. Everyone began to take the Norwegian's medals for granted. The young Scandinavian approached almost every race of his as a favorite. And subsequently Ole repeatedly proved that he is capable, if not of everything, then very much.
During his career, our today's hero became an Olympic champion eight times. This achievement seems even more impressive when you consider the fact that in 2002 at the Olympics in the American Salt Lake City, the famous athlete managed to win all four biathlon disciplines. Thus, in that year, Ole Einar Bjørndalen became the undisputed biathlon champion. Until now, no other athlete on our planet has been able to repeat such an achievement.
The performances of the athlete at the Biathlon World Championships and Cups have always been no less striking. Over the years, the Norwegian won nineteen victories at the world championships. During his career, Ole has excelled six times in the overall standings and in cup competitions. In total, our today's hero won ninety-five victories at various stages of the biathlon World Cup. Such results, you see, inspire respect.
Personal life and other interesting facts of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen
In the life of a famous athlete, marriage to Italian biathlonist Natalie Santer. The spousal union of two celebrities lasted about six years (from 2006 to 2012), but subsequently broke up. 
In July 2016 the Norwegian and Belarusian biathlete Daria Domracheva combined the knot. The athletes met in 2010 at the Vancouver Olympic Games. At that time, the biathlete was still married to Sunter, and many journalists suspected that it was the affair with Daria that caused his divorce.
In October 2016, the firstborn of Bjoerndalen and Domracheva was born. The 30-year-old sportswoman gave birth to a baby girl.
In everyday life, Ole Einar loves good literature, music and travel. He knows four languages (Norwegian, German, English and Italian) and on every trip he always takes with him ... a vacuum cleaner. This funny fact is connected with the well-known oddity of the athlete - the desire for cleanliness. He avoids shaking hands and pays great attention to the cleanliness of his body.
Ole Einara Bjoerndalen now
Currently, despite his rather elderly age, Ole Einar Bjørndalen continues to participate in races. Despite the fact that recently his name is rarely mentioned among the favorites, the Norwegian continues to amaze all biathlon fans. What are the two victories won at the recent Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi (in the 10 km sprint and in the mixed relay).Bjoerndalen and Guberniev
Many viewers took such victories as a minor sensation. And only Ole Einar Bjørndalen always knew what he was capable of in his forty years.
His surname is difficult to pronounce for those who hear it for the first time. But those fans who are at least a little interested in winter sports could not help but hear about the great and mighty “king of biathlon” Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.
On Bjoerndalen's birthday, we invite you to remember why he earned the title of a living legend.
They are not born kings, they become
The future champion began to engage in biathlon with the light hand of his older brother Dag. At 18 he won his first medal, at 19 he made a splash at the Junior World Championships in Ruhpolding and immediately became a three-time world champion.
20-year-old Bjørndalen was invited to a home 1994 Olympics in the Norwegian Lillehamer. However, the lack of experience did not allow the young biathlete to show good results.
He often tells a humorous story about his childhood:
I am a Norwegian from a simple peasant family where there were nine cows and five children and where cows were sometimes given more attention than children.
Bjørndalen took part in 6 Olympiads in a row
13 Olympic medals
After Lillehamer, Bjoerndalen took part in six Olympics in a row, and with each of them he did not return empty-handed.
On the account of the 44-year-old Norwegian biathlete: 13 medals brought from the Olympic Games - 8 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze.
Bjørndalen - 8-time Olympic champion
So far none of his colleagues in the shop could even come close to this level.
Björndalen Olympics
Bjoerndalen became a living legend after 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
Then the 28-year-old athlete had no equal in any of the races: he won Olympic gold in sprint, pursuit, relay and individual race.
Bjørndalen won all gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics
Then some people joked that men's biathlon becomes uninteresting to watch, because all races in a row are won by the irrepressible Bjoerndalen.
The most titled biathlete in history
There was some truth in this joke, after all. Because the Norwegian still retains the title of the most successful biathlete in the World Championships.
Per 20 years sports career, since 1998, at world championships he won 44 medals, of which - 20 gold, 14 silver and 10 bronze.
This record, too, still remains unattainable for the pursuers of the "king".
Six Big Globes in the collection
In addition to victories at the World Championships, Björndalen has a record 96 wins at the stages of the World Cup, which today is also an exorbitant record among biathletes.
Six times the irrepressible Norwegian won the Bolshoi crystal globe overall standings- in seasons 1997/98, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08 and 2008/09. Apart from him, only Martin Fourcade from France managed to do this.
Bjørndalen is the most titled biathlete in history
V women's biathlon only Swedish biathlete Magdalena Forsberg can boast of the same achievement.
Not a single biathlon
When he got bored in biathlon, Bjoerndalen tried his hand at cross-country skiing, and even there he took medals from titled skiers.
In 2006, at the stage of the World Cup cross-country skiing in Ellivar, Sweden, the Norwegian won the 15 km freestyle race.
40 years is far from the limit
Bjerndalen made his way to the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi when he was already in his fifties. Then he repeated the achievement of skier Bjorn Delhi, becoming an eight-time Olympic champion at the age of 40.
WITH 2014 Olympics the great and mighty Ole brought gold in the sprint and mixed relay.
S 13 Olympic medals Bjørndalen still retains the title of the most titled athlete of the Winter Olympics.
Olympic Games 2018 without Bjoerndalen
2018 Olympics in South Korean Pyeongchang Björndalen obviously wanted to finish his sports career... However, the coaches of the Norwegian national team decided otherwise.
Already at the beginning of the year, information appeared that King Ole may not go to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea, and everything is trite due to the fact that it does not show good results in the current season.
To get into the Norwegian Olympic team, the coaches have set a task for biathletes at least once since the beginning of the 2017-2018 season. get into the top six in personal races or enter the top 12 twice.
For 5 stages of the World Cup, Bjoerndalen failed to fulfill these requirements. His best result in the current season was 18th place in the individual and pursuit race at the first stage of the World Cup in Ostersund, Sweden.
Bjørndalen did not participate in the 2018 Olympics
On his Instagram page, the profile description still says - " Ole Einar Bjørndalen OL Pyeongchang 2018".
Unlucky in sports - lucky in love
At that Olympics, Bjoerndalen's wife, Belarusian biathlete Daria Domracheva, performed for two. She brought the relay gold and the mass start silver from Korea, and emotional photos flew around the network, as her husband congratulated her on her victory.
Bjørndalen congratulates Domracheva on winning the Olympic Games 2018