Kristen Skjeldal

Kristen Skjeldal (born 27 May 1967) is an Olympic champion and cross-country skier from Norway. He has won three olympic medals: two gold and one bronze. He won his first gold medal in the 4 × 10 km relay at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. He finished fourth in 30 km freestyle event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, but was awarded the bronze medal upon Spain's Johann Mühlegg EPO-doping disqualification. Subsequently, devices for blood doping were found at the hotel room of the doctor for the Austrian cross-country team. Since Skjeldal won the bronze behind two Austrians, many regard him as the real olympic champion. Skjeldal also won a gold medal in 4 × 10 km relay at those same games.

Kristen Skjeldal
Country	Norway
Born	(1967-05-27) 27 May 1967 Voss, Norway
Ski club	Bulken IL
World Cup career
Seasons	1989–1992, 1994–2008
Individual wins	1
Team wins	12
Indiv. podiums	11
Team podiums	22
Indiv. starts	160
Team starts	34
Overall titles	0 – (4th in 2002)
Discipline titles	0
Medal record Men's cross-country skiing Representing  Norway Winter Olympics 1992 Albertville 4 × 10 km relay 2002 Salt Lake City 4 × 10 km relay 2002 Salt Lake City 30 km freestyle

His best finish at the Nordic skiing World Championships was a sixth in the 50 km event in 1999. Skjeldal has also won thirteen cross-country skiing events of various distances between 1991 and 2006.

Skjeldal was still an active skier in 2005, located in his ski club in Bulken, Norway. His brother Gudmund Skjeldal also has participated in the Olympics.

In 2005 Gudmund published a biography about his brother, called Den siste langrennaren.

Almost 45 years old, Skjeldal did a remarkable comeback at the Norwegian Championship 2012, finishing eight at the 15 km free, beating all of the Norwegian team elite squad, except Martin Johnsrud Sundby, who won.