Olaf Tufte has died at the age of 50. © AFP / BRENDON O'HAGAN

Norway mourns double Olympic champion (50)

Norway's sporting world mourns the loss of the country's most successful rower.

July 22, 2026

From: dpa/det

Two-time Olympic single sculls champion Olaf Tufte died at the age of 50, Norwegian media reported, citing a statement from his family. Tufte was reportedly found unconscious on his farm. Despite immediate rescue efforts, his life could not be saved, and he died at the National Hospital in Oslo. Tufte is survived by his wife and two children.

The news triggered widespread shock and grief among athletes and politicians in Norway. "Tufte gave our country countless moments of sporting joy. He was one of Norway's greatest sporting heroes, a highly decorated Olympian, one of the best rowers we have ever had, and a great role model for many. My deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones," said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Still competing in the Olympics at 45

Tufte won gold at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and was also world champion in the single sculls in 2001 and 2003. He continued to be successful even at an advanced age: at 40, the rower won his last Olympic medal, a bronze in the double sculls, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Five years later, at 45, he finished ninth in the quadruple sculls at the Tokyo Olympic Games.