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Rung's first major international competition was the 2009 IPC Swimming World Championships Short Course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she took silver in the 100m freestyle, just one year following back surgery which resulted in damaged nerves.
Formerly a 'hobby swimmer' as her coach Morten Eklund called it, she picked up where she left off in the pool, but this time with a different focus; the focus of an international athlete.
In 2010 she won three gold medals at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands and in 2011 added four further titles at the IPC Swimming European Championships in Berlin, Germany.
At London 2012, her first Paralympics, the S5 swimmer won two gold medals in 50m butterfly and 200m freestyle defeating her biggest rivals Ukraine's Nataliia Prologaieva and Spanish swimming legend Teresa Perales. She took home silver medals from the 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke.
In a continuation of the form she has experienced in recent years, Rung collected four gold medals and one bronze at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships in Monteal, Canada. She repeated that performance in Glasgow, Great Britain, in 2015, adding a silver in the 100m freestyle and winning all of her country's gold medals.
Keen not to disappoint on the European stage, Rung won the same four golds in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, in 2014. Her friendly rivalry with Perales also reached an incredible new height at the 2016 European Open with the pair tying to share gold in the 100m freestyle.
A few months later, Rung left Rio 2016 as Norway's most successful athlete having won two of her country's three gold medals.
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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Classification
S6, SB5, SM6
Further personal information
Residence
Bergen, NOR
Occupation
Athlete, Consultant, Student
Languages
English, Norwegian
Higher education
Civil Engineering - University of Stavanger: Norway
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She began swimming at age seven.
Why this sport?
She took up the sport with her sister. "Swimming has always been in my family."
Club / Team
Stavanger SK: Norway
Name of coach
Morten Eklund [national], NOR
International debut
Year
2009
Competing for
Norway
Tournament
European Championships
Location
Reykjavík, ISL
General interest
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold medals in the S5 50m butterfly and S5 200m freestyle at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, and breaking the world record in the 100m breaststroke. (Athlete, 19 Aug 2018, 03 Dec 2017)
Most influential person in career
Coach Morten Eklund, her sister Victoria, and her teammates. (Athlete, 19 Aug 2018, 03 Dec 2017)
Hero / Idol
Norwegian swimmer Alexander Dale Oen. (Athlete, 03 Dec 2017)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"There are no shortcuts to the places worth going." (Athlete, 03 Dec 2017)
Awards and honours
She was flag bearer for Norway at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (vg.no, 18 Sep 2016)
She was named Female Athlete with an Impairment of the Year in five consecutive years between 2012 and 2016 at the Norwegian Sport Gala. (idrettgala.no, 01 Jan 2018)
In 2010 and 2011 she was named Athlete with an Impairment of the Year at the Norwegian Sport Gala. (idrettgala.no, 01 Jan 2018)
She was named Female Athlete with an Impairment of the Year in five consecutive years between 2012 and 2016 at the Norwegian Sport Gala. (idrettgala.no, 01 Jan 2018)
In 2010 and 2011 she was named Athlete with an Impairment of the Year at the Norwegian Sport Gala. (idrettgala.no, 01 Jan 2018)
Famous relatives
Her younger sister Victoria Rung represented Norway in able-bodied swimming at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russian Federation. (aftenposten.no, 22 Nov 2018; universiade2013.sportresult.com, 01 Jan 2013)
Ambitions
To win a medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (tv2.no, 28 Mar 2021)
Impairment
In September 2008 she underwent an operation on her back. Some of her nerves were severed during the procedure, which resulted in a spinal cord injury. (Athlete, 03 Dec 2017; aftenposten.no, 22 Jun 2011)
Other information
SISTERHOOD
Her sister Victoria has also competed in swimming at an elite level, representing Norway in able-bodied swimming at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russian Federation. "I am grateful to have been able to share great moments with her. She inspires me to work hard and set great goals. She has definitely taught me the importance of the hard, hard work and dedication that you need to be able to achieve your goals, and I hope I can show other athletes the same." (aftenposten.no, 22 Nov 2018; paralympic.org, 11 Mar 2016)
OCCUPATION
She works as a consultant for Olympiatoppen, an organisation that is part of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committees. She is responsible for helping to promote and develop Para sport at national and local level in Norway. "The goal is to reduce the differences in sports and get more people active." (toyota.no, 31 Mar 2021; aftenbladet.no, 06 Feb 2019; olympiatoppen.no, 01 Jan 2019)
FURTHER EDUCATION
In 2020 she began studying for a degree in clinical nutrition at the University of Bergen in Norway. (ba.no, 24 Aug 2020)
Her sister Victoria has also competed in swimming at an elite level, representing Norway in able-bodied swimming at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russian Federation. "I am grateful to have been able to share great moments with her. She inspires me to work hard and set great goals. She has definitely taught me the importance of the hard, hard work and dedication that you need to be able to achieve your goals, and I hope I can show other athletes the same." (aftenposten.no, 22 Nov 2018; paralympic.org, 11 Mar 2016)
OCCUPATION
She works as a consultant for Olympiatoppen, an organisation that is part of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committees. She is responsible for helping to promote and develop Para sport at national and local level in Norway. "The goal is to reduce the differences in sports and get more people active." (toyota.no, 31 Mar 2021; aftenbladet.no, 06 Feb 2019; olympiatoppen.no, 01 Jan 2019)
FURTHER EDUCATION
In 2020 she began studying for a degree in clinical nutrition at the University of Bergen in Norway. (ba.no, 24 Aug 2020)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Heat 2 | 1 | ||
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Heat 2 | 1 | ||
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 1 | 1 | ||
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 2 | ||
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 3 | 2 | ||
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Final Round | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Heat 2 | 2012-08-31 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Final Round | 2012-08-31 | 2 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 2012-09-01 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 2 | 2012-09-01 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Heat 2 | 2012-09-04 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Final Round | 2012-09-04 | 2 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Heat 2 | 2012-09-07 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Final Round | 2012-09-07 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 1 | 2012-09-08 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 2012-09-08 | 4 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Heat 2 | 2013-08-12 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Final 1 | 2013-08-12 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Heat 1 | 2013-08-13 | 2 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Final 1 | 2013-08-13 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Final 1 | 2013-08-13 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Final 1 | 2013-08-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Heat 2 | 2013-08-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 2 | 2013-08-17 | 3 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Final 1 | 2013-08-17 | 3 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 | Final 1 | 2015-07-13 | 3 | |
| Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 | Heat 2 | 2015-07-13 | 2 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Final 1 | 2015-07-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Heat 2 | 2015-07-16 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Final 1 | 2015-07-16 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Final 1 | 2015-07-18 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-18 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-18 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Final 1 | 2015-07-18 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Final 1 | 2015-07-19 | 2 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-19 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-08 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 2016-09-08 | 3 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Final Round | 2016-09-10 | 2 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-10 | 5 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Final Round | 2016-09-11 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-11 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 2016-09-12 | 7 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-12 | 3 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Final Round | 2016-09-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM5 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-16 | 4 | |
| Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 | Final Round | 2016-09-16 | 3 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Final Round | 2016-09-17 | 6 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-17 | 3 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Heat 2 | 2017-12-02 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 | Final 1 | 2017-12-02 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB4 | Final 1 | 2017-12-02 | 9999 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Heat 1 | 2017-12-03 | 2 | |
| Women's 50 m Butterfly S5 | Final 1 | 2017-12-03 | 2 | |
| Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 | Heat 1 | 2017-12-04 | 4 | |
| Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 | Final 1 | 2017-12-04 | 3 | |
| Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 | Final 1 | 2017-12-06 | 2 |
