Born: 10 October 1963

Birthplace: Kirkenes (Norway)

Nationality: Norway

Sport: Skiing

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Calgary 1988

Albertville 1992

Lillehammer 1994

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 3

Silver: 2

Bronze: 1

Other results:

World Championships

Gold : 2 (91, 93)

Silver : 2 (89, 93)

Bronze : 4 (87, 89, 91, 93)

The Man From the Arctic

Vegard Ulvang came from Kirkenes, far north of the Arctic Circle. An adventurer, in the year before the Olympics he climbed Mt. Denali in Alaska and spent 15 days skiing across Greenland in the footsteps of explorer Fridtjof Nansen. Ulvang had earned a bronze medal at 30km in 1988. At the Albertville Games, he moved up to the gold. Three days later he entered the 10km race. At the last minute, for the first time in his career, he decided to compete without wax on his skis. He finished strongly to earn a second gold medal. He added a silver medal in the combined pursuit and then a third gold medal as a member of Norway's 4x10km relay team.