Impairment Information |
Type of Impairment |
Impaired muscle power |
Origin of Impairment |
Congenital |
Classification |
LW3 |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Wife Ingrid Kvendset Hagen, son Olav |
Residence |
Tingvoll, NOR |
Occupation |
Athlete, Consultant |
Languages |
German, Norwegian, English |
Higher education |
Administration Studies - Lillehammer University College: Norway |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He first tried skiing at about age four, and discovered Nordic skiing at age nine in Tingvoll, Norway. He took part in able-bodied races until he was age 18, when he qualified for the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. |
Why this sport? |
He was encouraged to try the sport by his older brother. He was also inspired by watching Norwegian biathletes Ole Einar Bjorndalen and Halvard Hanevold compete at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. "That's when I decided I really wanted to do this myself." |
Club / Team |
Tingvoll IL: Norway |
Name of coach |
Anders Oeverby [national] |
Senior International Debut |
Year |
2002 |
Competing for |
Norway |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Nikkis [his cousin could not say his name correctly when he was a child]. (Athlete, 08 Feb 2018) |
Hobbies |
Cycling, ski mountaineering. (Athlete, 02 Mar 2022) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning gold in the standing 12.5km individual biathlon event at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver. (Athlete, 02 Mar 2022) |
Most influential person in career |
His brother John Ola Ulset, and Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen. (Athlete, 02 Mar 2022, 08 Feb 2018) |
Hero / Idol |
Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen. (Athlete, 08 Feb 2018) |
Injuries |
In April 2010 he tore the anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] in his left knee. He returned to training in November 2010. (Athlete, 02 Mar 2022; nrk.no, 19 Jan 2011) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"I can always do better." (Athlete, 08 Feb 2018) |
Awards and honours |
In May 2018 he received the Egeberg's Honorary Prize in Norway. (aftenposten.no, 25 May 2018)
He was flag bearer for Norway at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. (paralympic.org, 16 Mar 2014)
In 2010 he received the St. Olav's Statue, the most prestigious sports award in Norway's Trondelag county. He was presented with the honour in recognition of his performance at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, where he won four medals. (Paraidrett Norge Facebook page, 30 Aug 2021; nrk.no, 10 May 2010) |
Other sports |
He represented Norway in both cross-country skiing and biathlon at five consecutive editions of the Paralympic Winter Games between 2002 and 2018, winning three gold medals. (SportsDeskOnline, 25 Nov 2020) |
Famous relatives |
His older brother John Ola Ulset has represented Norway in able-bodied biathlon at World Cup events. (SportsDeskOnline, 24 Feb 2018; Athlete, 08 Feb 2018) |
Ambitions |
To compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (langrenn.com, 15 Apr 2021) |
Impairment |
He was born with a genetic condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which affects the muscles in his legs. "I have maybe 25% of normal muscle strength in my lower legs and my balance is very bad. So for me the hardest parts are flat areas where you benefit from having good balance. Also, very soft conditions and icy tracks I struggle with." (biathlon23.wordpress.com, 19 Sep 2019; Athlete, 08 Feb 2018; Paralympic Games YouTube channel, 02 Jan 2018) |
Other information |
RETIREMENT PLANS
He plans to retire from Para Nordic skiing after competing at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing and continue in his role as a Para sports consultant with the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports. "Sadly I will not be participating in Milan-Cortina [the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games]. It is a beautiful place, but the Games in Beijing [in 2022] are where my career ends. Sport has given me so much. Now I can try to give back. [His wife Ingrid] has sacrificed a lot for me to be able to do this so it's time to go home and give back." (france24.com, 09 Mar 2022; paralympic.org, 10 Sep 2021)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
In March 2020 he began working for the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports as a Para sports consultant in More og Romsdal county. "I hope and believe that I can contribute a lot in this area, as I would like to give back to the sport that has given me so much." (skiskyting.no, 12 Dec 2021; basket.no, 10 Dec 2020; paraidrett.no, 24 Mar 2020; idrettsforbundet.no, 01 Jan 2020) |
Paralympic Games - Para biathlon |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 7 |
2002 |
7.5km Individual - Standing |
21:26.8 |
| 3 |
2006 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
24:50.0 |
| 3 |
2006 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
43:55.2 |
| 2 |
2010 |
3km Pursuit - Standing |
|
| 1 |
2010 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
41:00.0 |
| 6 |
2014 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
21:52.7 |
| 2 |
2014 |
12.5km Middle - Standing |
34:10.1 |
| 2 |
2014 |
15km Individual - Standing |
42:24.1 |
| 6 |
2018 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
22:35.9 |
| 4 |
2018 |
12.5km Middle - Standing |
45:18.4 |
| 3 |
2018 |
15km Individual - Standing |
49:33.8 |
| 7 |
2022 |
6km Sprint - Standing |
21:16.5 |
| 10 |
2022 |
10km Middle - Standing |
40:31.4 |
| 8 |
2022 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
49:53.5 |
Paralympic Games - Para cross-country |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2002 |
10km Freestyle LW2-4 |
28:15.2 |
| 1 |
2002 |
20km Freestyle - Standing |
1:07:34.3 |
| 9 |
2006 |
10km - Standing |
33:53.4 |
| 9 |
2006 |
5km - Standing |
14:51.5 |
| 14 |
2006 |
20km - Standing |
1:14:10.2 |
| 2 |
2010 |
20km Freestyle - Standing |
1:00:11.4 |
| 3 |
2010 |
1 x 4 + 2 x 5km Relay Open |
39:49.9 |
| 3 |
2014 |
4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed |
27:53.6 |
| 6 |
2014 |
10km Freestyle - Standing |
27:39.5 |
| 2 |
2018 |
4 x 2.5km Relay Open |
23:09.1 |
World Championships - Para biathlon |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 7 |
2002/2003 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
50:16.8 |
| 3 |
2002/2003 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
28:00.2 |
| 8 |
2004/2005 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
29:27.6 |
| 4 |
2004/2005 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
43:26.9 |
| 1 |
2008/2009 |
3.6km Pursuit - Standing |
|
| 1 |
2008/2009 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
43:12.5 |
| 8 |
2010/2011 |
3km Pursuit - Standing |
12:28.6 |
| 2 |
2010/2011 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
23:36.5 |
| 2 |
2010/2011 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
42:51.5 |
| 15 |
2012/2013 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
27:35.2 |
| 4 |
2012/2013 |
12.5km Middle - Standing |
42:30.9 |
| 1 |
2012/2013 |
15km Individual - Standing |
41:56.4 |
| 3 |
2014/2015 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
18:54.0 |
| 2 |
2014/2015 |
12.5km Middle - Standing |
33:34.0 |
| 4 |
2014/2015 |
15km Individual - Standing |
40:49.9 |
| 5 |
2016/2017 |
12.5km Middle - Standing |
33:18.7 |
| 3 |
2016/2017 |
15km Individual - Standing |
40:26.7 |
| 5 |
2016/2017 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
19:33.4 |
| 2 |
2018/2019 |
12.5km Middle - Standing |
43:50.1 |
| 5 |
2018/2019 |
7.5km Sprint - Standing |
25:51.0 |
| 4 |
2018/2019 |
15km Individual - Standing |
49:13.3 |
| 12 |
2021/2022 |
6km Sprint - Standing |
19:47.9 |
| 8 |
2021/2022 |
10km Middle - Standing |
33:49.4 |
| 11 |
2021/2022 |
12.5km Individual - Standing |
42:36.0 |
World Championships - Para cross-country |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 7 |
2002/2003 |
5km - Standing |
15:41.4 |
| 2 |
2004/2005 |
10km - Standing |
29:22.6 |
| 3 |
2004/2005 |
20km - Standing |
58:16.1 |
| 4 |
2004/2005 |
1 x 3.75 + 2 x 5km Relay Open |
41:00.7 |
| 2 |
2008/2009 |
1 x 4 + 2 x 5km Relay Open |
44:07.4 |
| 1 |
2008/2009 |
10km Freestyle LW2-9 |
25:58.1 |
| 6 |
2010/2011 |
10km - Standing |
26:12.3 |
| 2 |
2010/2011 |
1 x 4 + 2 x 5km Relay Open |
42:21.9 |
| 3 |
2012/2013 |
4 x 2.5km Relay Open |
26:10.0 |
| 5 |
2014/2015 |
20km - Standing |
45:57.4 |
| 3 |
2014/2015 |
4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed |
30:38.9 |
| 2 |
2016/2017 |
4 x 2.5km Relay Open |
24:19.7 |
| 6 |
2016/2017 |
10km - Standing |
23:20.2 |
