Olaf Tufte


Olaf Karl Tufte is a Norwegian rower, firefighter and farmer.
From his sporting endeavors he currently holds four Olympic medals and six world championship medals.
Tufte is a member of the Norwegian rowing club Horten Roklubb. Situated in Horten, Vestfold.

Personal life

When not rowing, Tufte earns a living growing cereals at the family farm in the Nykirke part of Horten, and he also works as a fire-fighter. Tufte is a member of Horten Roklubb, one of the most successful Norwegian rowing clubs of all time.

Career

Tufte entered the rowing stage at 17. Initially as a mean to improve his handle on motor cross. Whilst training with Horten Rowing Club Tufte displayed an unusual aptitude for rowing. One year later, 1994, he debuted internationally in a quadruple scull in the Junior World Championship. The boat finished sixth.

1996 Olympic Games Atlanta

Two years later, 1996, Tufte participated in the olympic games in Atlanta were they finished eighth in the M4-.

2000 Olympic Games Sydney

Tufte won silver in the men's double sculls at the 2000 Summer Olympics together with Fredrik Bekken.

2004 Olympic Games Athens

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Tufte won gold in the men's single sculls.

2008 Olympic Games Beijing

At the 2008 Summer Olympics Tufte defended his title as the Olympic champion. Between Beijing and Athens, Tufte's performance had not yielded gold in the world championships, and he was viewed as an athlete who rose to the occasions and was awarded with the title "number one male rower of 2009" in the 2010 FOCUS issue of FISA's World Rowing Magazine.

2012 Olympic Games London

At the 2012 Summer Olympics he was unsuccessful in defending his Olympic title when he was unsuccessful in qualifying for the final.

2016 Olympic Games Rio

After the 2012 Olympics, Tufte took a year hiatus. He returned with a wish for revenge.
At the Olympics he finished third with Kjetil Borch in M2x.

Footnotes