Farewell Therese!

The very first title event of the Olympic Winter Games of Beijing 2022 took place in the Zhangjiakou Cross-Country Center and saw one of the ultimate superstars of our time taking her very first individual Olympic Gold Medal. Achieving this milestone might have been the definite beginning of a new chapter for Therese Johaug as she announced her athlete’s retirement exactly one month later, just before the glorious Holmenkollen Skifestival in her home country of Norway.

Therese Johaug – a name that stood on top of almost every ranking list of Distance competitions in the past years. Setting one milestone after the other, Therese has lived through the most glorious of days - but also the toughest of times for a professional athlete during her competition ban that took away her chances to compete at the 2018 Olympics.

Therese’s remarkable approach to competitions and attitude on the race course has inspired generations of skiers around the world. She remained the pace setter but persistently judged her achievements from all perspectives. With this approach she always has been a precious team member and contender on course.

Setting milestones right from the start

The now 33 year-old has stepped on the international racing stage in 2007 – at the young age of 18. In her World Cup debut in Otepää, she took the fantastic 8th place.

After this successful start, the young Norwegian stood on the start line of her first title event one month later, at the 30km C race of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo. Critics were high to send out such a young athlete, but Therese was not deterred and claimed the bronze medal – and her first medal at international events.

From the season 2007/08, she was a core member of the Norwegian National Team and became a valuable member of Relays. Therese claimed her first World Cup victory in great fashion on the famous “Final Climb” in January 2009. From the following season, she dominated the World Cup.

Therese won every third World Cup race she participated at by statistic. Among 246 World Cup starts, she reached incredible 149 podium spots in total, claimed 14 titles at FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and four Olympic Gold Medals.

The FIS Cross-Country family would like to congratulate Therese on an exceptional career, who has not only influenced skiers around the world, but the entire sport of Cross-Country skiing in itself. We hope to see you involved in Cross-Country skiing in one way or the other for many years to come and wish you the very best for this exciting new chapter.

Click here for Therese Johaug's FIS athletes bio.