Olaf Tufte
Olaf Tufte was a Norwegian rower who won Olympic gold medals in single sculls at the 2004 and 2008 Games and competed in seven Olympics.
Particulars
Olaf Karl Tufte was born on 27 April 1976 in Norway and began rowing at age 17. He made his Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games and went on to compete in seven consecutive Olympics, an extraordinary achievement in the sport. His greatest successes came in single sculls, where he won gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics and successfully defended his title at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also won silver in double sculls at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and bronze in double sculls at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Beyond his Olympic achievements, Tufte was a two-time world champion in single sculls in 2001 and 2003 and was named Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year in 2001. He was known for his disciplined approach and ability to perform at major championships. Outside of rowing, he worked as a firefighter and farmer.
Tufte was found unconscious at his family farm on 20 July 2026 and died the following day at age 50. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the decorated rower brought enormous athletic joy to the nation.
Compiled from source reports and Wikipedia. Automated record.