Birgit Skarstein

Birgit Lovise Røkkum Skarstein (born 10 February 1989) is a Norwegian Paralympic athlete and social entrepreneur. She has 11 World Championship medals (seven in rowing and four in cross-country skiing) and is the reigning World Champion and Paralympic champion in the rowing class PR1Wx, where she also holds the world record.[1]

Birgit Skarstein
Skarstein in 2013
Personal information
Full nameBirgit Lovise Røkkum Skarstein
NationalityNorwegian
Born10 February 1989 (1989-02-10) (age 34)
Sport
SportRowing
Cross-country skiing
Medal record
Women's pararowing
Representing  Norway
Summer Paralympics
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoPR1 single sculls
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2014 AmsterdamAS single sculls
Gold medal – first place2017 SarasotaPR1 single sculls
Gold medal – first place2018 PlovdivPR1 single sculls
Gold medal – first place2019 OttensheimPR1 single sculls
Gold medal – first place2022 RačicePR1 single sculls
Gold medal – first place2023 BelgradePR1 single sculls
Silver medal – second place2013 ChungjuAS single sculls
Bronze medal – third place2015 AiguebeletteAS single sculls
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 VaresePR1 single sculls
Gold medal – first place2022 MunichPR1 single sculls
Gold medal – first place2023 BledPR1 single sculls

She won gold at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, in Women's single sculls.[2][3][4] She has won the world cup overall title in both rowing and cross country skiing and has several individual world cup wins in both sports. Skarstein was in 2018 elected as a member of the International Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council,[5] where she in 2022 was re-elected for a second term.

Skarstein is a member of World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers, and was a delegate and speaker at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in 2022,[6] as well as a panellist and speaker at the Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Week Dialogue on the topic of "Future of Life".[7]

Background

Birgit grew up in Levanger, Norway and was active within school politics and activities such as climbing, hiking and swimming. After finishing high school in 2008 she travelled to Thailand to work as a volunteer at an orphanage. Whilst travelling to renew her visa in December 2008, she injured her foot in a diving accident – an accident that required surgery. She was flown home to Norway and underwent several procedures. During one of the procedures she had an injection of anaesthetic into the epidural space of the spine, but it never wore off.[8] She gradually lost the feeling in her legs, making her paralyzed.

Athletic career

In rowing at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Skarstein finished fourth in the single sculls event. In cross-country skiing at the 2014 Winter Paralympics, she competed in the 1 km sprint classic, 5 km free, and 15 km free events. In cross-country skiing at the 2018 Winter Paralympics, she competed in the 1.5 km sprint classic, 7.5 km classic, and 15 km free events.

Skarstein won a gold medal in PR1W1x at the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, ahead of Moran Samuel.[9]

In 2019 Skarstein qualified to represent Norway at the 2020 Summer Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan after winning the gold medal in the PR1 Women's single sculls event at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.[10]

In 2021 she took gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 10.56,88.

Skarstein holds the world record at 9.50,39 taken in a regatta in Poznan, 2022.

Career

Skarstein holds a degree in political sciences from the University of Oslo. She has actively been involved within politics and boards throughout her life and athletic career. She has served in the City Council of Oslo,[11] been a member of the Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board[12] and World Economic Forum's Global Shapers, elected as a member of Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon's SIKT-alumni,[13] and served as a board member of Sparebankstiftelsen DNB, Stiftelsen VI and Sunnaasstiftelsen.

In 2020, Skarstein participated in Skal vi danse, the Norwegian version of Dancing with the Stars, becoming the first wheelchair user to appear on the program.[14] Skarstein and her Swedish dance partner Philip Raabe established themselves as potential favourites to win the 2020 season, impressing both the judges and viewers. They made it all the way to the eighth week before losing out in a dance duel against Michael Andreassen and Ewa Trela. [15]

In 2021, Skarstein was featured in the children's book "My first biography" by Kristian Grue. She wanted to use the opportunity to create a more diverse offering to kids.[16]

Skarstein is also an ambassador for MOT, Stiftelsen VI, and Right To Play.[17][18][19]

Awards

In 2019, Skarstein was awarded Egebergs Ærespris for her efforts and contribution in multiple sports.[20] In 2021, she was awarded the Peer Gynt Prize. [21]

Personal life

Skarstein is close friends with dancer Helene Spilling, with the pair having met on Skal vi danse. [22][23]

References
  1. "Ny verdensrekord til Birgit". www.roing.no. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  2. "Dominant performance sees Birgit Skarstein claim elusive Paralympic gold in Tokyo". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  3. Capar, Robin-Ivan (29 August 2021). "Birgit Skarstein wins Norway's first Paralympics gold in Tokyo: "It was like a dream"". Norway Today. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  4. "Rowing SKARSTEIN Birgit Lovise Roekkum - Tokyo 2020 Paralympics". .. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  5. "Birgit Skarstein - Rowing, Nordic Skiing | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  6. "The Fourth Industrial Revolution will give us super powers". World Economic Forum. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  7. "Nobel Week Dialogue". NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  8. "Birgit Skarstein - Rowing, Nordic Skiing | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  9. Hjellen, Bjørnar (1 October 2017). "Skarstein fosset inn til nytt VM-gull: – En drøm går i oppfyllelse" [Skarstein watered in for new World Cup gold: - A dream come true]. nrk.no (in Norwegian). NTB. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  10. Patrick, O’Kane (1 September 2019). "Polianskyi and Skarstein claim PR1 single sculls titles at World Rowing Championships". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  11. "Her er Oslo Aps nye bystyregruppe". Arbeiderpartiet (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  12. "Tidlegare Bioteknologiråd". Bioteknologirådet (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  13. "Deltakere 2022 – SIKT-konferansen". sikt.org (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  14. "Birgit Skarstein skal være med i «Skal vi danse»: – Jeg måtte ta noen runder før jeg sa ja". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 17 August 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  15. Solberg, Vilde Holta Røssland, Trine (24 October 2020). "Birgit Skarstein ute av «Skal vi danse»". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. "Laget bok for barn om Birgit Skarstein". Klar Tale (in Norwegian). 5 November 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  17. "Birgit Skarstein". MOT Norge (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  18. "Ambassadører". Stiftelsen Vi. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  19. "Birgit Skarstein". www.righttoplay.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  20. Bryhn, Rolf. "Egebergs ærespris". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  21. "Birgit Skarstein er Årets Peer Gynt: – Det er stas". www.vg.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 27 April 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  22. Justad, Stig H. (6 April 2023). "- Hun betyr så mye for meg". Se og Hør (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  23. Løland, Tuva Mathilde (21 June 2023). "Birgit Skarstein droppet kjendisfest for å støtte Helene Spilling: – Viktigere for meg". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2023.
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