Trivia

Norwegian biathlete, winning five Olympic and ten World Championship gold medals, making him the most successful athlete in biathlon ever.

Most successful athlete at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, where he won all four biathlon events. From 1998 to 2006, he won nine Olympic medals in total.

Is fluent in Norwegian, English, German and Russian.

As of February 2008, he has a record high of 80 individual Biathlon World Cup wins, the most of any biathlete to date.

Used to live in the Italian village of Toblach together with his now ex-wife Nathalie Santer, an Italian biathlete, who used to start for Belgium during their marriage.

Four-time winner of the Biathlon Overall World Cup since 1997.

Occasionally competing in cross country races, he became the first biathlete to win a FIS Cross Country World Cup race (2006).

Close friend to his younger teammate Emil Hegle Svendsen. Bjørndalen used to support Svendsen financially at the beginning of his career.

Good friend of former biathletes Raphael Poirée from France and Sven Fischer from Germany.

Admires the retired cross-country Norwegian athlete Bjørn Dæhlie.

After the Sochi Olympic Games, decided to continue his biathlon career until the Norway Championship in 2016.

Named the most successful Olympian with 13 medals from all games.

In 2008, a nearly three meter tall bronze statue of Bjørndalen, created by sculptor Kirsten Kokkin, was erected in his hometown of Simostranda, Norway.

On 20 February 2014, was elected to the International Olympic Committee's athlete commission, having become the most decorated Winter Olympic athlete in history.

Skies with Madschus, gloves and base layer Odlo, Casco glasses and shoots with an Anschutz rifle.

Has 95 biathlon victories and 1 victory in cross-country skiing. A total of 172 individual podium for biathlon and 3 podiums for cross-country skiing.

Resides and trains in Obertilliach, Austria.

Has won 6 times the biathlon's big Crystal Globe.

Collects watches.

Younger brother of Dag Bjørndalen who was also a biathlete but gave up his career.

Makes a summer training in Belmeken, Bulgaria.

His favorite type of biathlon race is the 20 km Individual race.

Ex brother-in-law of former biathlete Saskia Santer.

Won 4 medals from the 2016 World Championships in Holmenkollen - one gold with the relay team alongside 'Tarjei Bo', 'Johannes Thingnes Bo' and Emil Hegle Svendsen; 2 silver medals in the 10 km sprint and the following 12.5 km pursuit and one bronze in the 15 km mass start.

Named the Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year in 2002 and 2014.

Won the Beach Volleyball Championship at Laguna Beach in 2001.

Won 4 times at the show event in Gelsenkirchen (Schalke 04 arena), in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

In March 2011, alongside Michael Greis and Andrea Henkel was awarded the Holmenkollen Medal; the first biathletes to receive the medal.

Won 44 medals from World Championships during his career - 20 gold, 14 silver and 10 bronze.

Received the Egebergs Ærespris in 2002 for his accomplishments in biathlon and cross-country skiing.

Nominated Laureus World Sportsman of the year in 2003. Came 2nd, only lost to Lance Armstrong this year, who is later rescinded.

Awarded the Fair Play Mecenante Award in Castiglion in Fiorentino in Italy in 2009.

Won the Aftenposten's gold medal in 1998.

Achieved 2nd place in the 2003 Dobbiaco-Cortina, a long distance cross-country skiing event, (42 km) in Italy.

Elected Biathlon Athlete of the year 2009.

Won the biathlon show event in Püttlingen in 2008 together with Kati Wilhelm. 2nd in 2011 together with Magdalena Neuner and 3rd place in 2005 with Nathalie Santer, his former wife and in 2010 together with Sabrina Buchholz.

In November 2014 was awarded, the best male athlete at the Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi by the Association des Comités Nationaux Olympiques.

Awarded with the Fearnleys Olympic honorary award in 2002.

Won Skarverennet in 2006 and 2007, and came 2nd after Petter Northug in 2008.

Partner is Darya Domracheva. On 5 April 2016 announced expecting their first child together.

In April 2016 announced his career will continue until the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang in 2018.

On 17 July 2016 married his companion, the Belarusian biathlete Darya Domracheva.

On 1 October 2016 welcomed his first child, a baby girl named Ksenia together with his wife.

On 12 February 2017 won a bronze medal in the 12,5 km pursuit at the World Championships in Hochfilzen.

On 9 April 2018 announced his retirement from the sport.