Birgit Skarstein

Politics. (Athlete, 26 Feb 2018)

Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjorgen. (Athlete, 26 Feb 2018)

In January 2020 she sustained a torn stomach muscle and a stress fracture in her back. (vg.no, 07 Feb 2020)

She sustained three stress fractures to her ribs in the 2015 rowing season, and required four months to recover. (aftenposten.no, 22 Jul 2016)

"It'll work out." (Athlete, 26 Feb 2018)

She was named Female Para Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Norway Sports Gala. She also received the Honorary Prize of Egeberg, which recognises Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. (aftenposten.no, 25 May 2019; innherred.no, 05 Jan 2019)

She was named flag bearer for Norway at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (pyeongchang2018.com, 09 Mar 2018)

She received the 2016 Tronder Award, which recognises outstanding achievement in Trondelag, Norway. (adressa.no, 06 Jan 2017)

She has represented Norway in Para cross-country skiing at international level, including at the 2014 and 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, as well as Para rowing at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 08 Apr 2020; global.toyota, 01 Jan 2020)

To win a medal in rowing at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and compete in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (dagbladet.no, 05 Dec 2018)

In 2008 she sustained serious injuries to her left leg in a swimming accident in Malaysia. She jumped into the water from a jetty, but had not checked the water depth and hit the bottom. She had 16 operations, having also contracted a bacterial infection. In September 2009, in the last of those 16 operations in Norway, she received an epidural anaesthesia but it was incorrectly administered and she never regained the feeling in her legs. (adressa.no, 20 Dec 2016; vg.no, 16 Aug 2015; skiforbundet.no, Dec 2014; kk.no, Mar 2014; vg.no, 27 Jan 2012)

COMBINING ROWING AND SKIING
She has competed in both Para rowing and Para cross-country skiing at international level. She began Para cross-country skiing in 2009 at age 20 in Beitostolen, Norway, and says combining both sports has been beneficial for her athleticism. "Rowing is my number one priority. I train and compete in skiing to become a better rower and find this to be a great combination. Changing around sports and movements makes me able to train better, to train more, and to lower the risk of injuries. Rowing does make me a better skier as it gives me strength and endurance as well as a competitive mindset. Skiing gives me the hours and hours I need as base training. Changing environments and movements keeps me sharp and hungry, and I can pick up the best parts from both environments." (worldrowing.com, 01 Nov 2019)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She has served on the finance committee for the Oslo City Council in Norway, and has also served on the Norwegian Advisory Board of Biotechnology. (worldrowing.com, 01 Nov 2019; Athlete, 26 Feb 2018)

DANCING WITH THE STARS
In 2020 she became the first wheelchair dancer to feature on Norwegian celebrity talent show 'Shall We Dance'. She made the decision to take part in the programme following the postponement of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and finished in sixth place. "I like the show because it's so demanding. It's really difficult and the fact that no one's ever done it in a wheelchair in Norway, it means that we can break some new ground. It's cross-training at a whole new level. It surprised me that no matter how many boundaries we broke, or how many crazy impossible things we managed to nail, there was always some people not believing in us and saying I shouldn't be there. Sometimes it felt like it was us against the world and it brought us into a mission that was bigger than us, the mission of communicating that dance is for everyone and we are a part of this world just as much as you are." (paralympic.org, 22 Aug 2020)