Johan Arne Olsson (born 19 March 1980) is a Swedish cross-country skiing coach and former skier. He is a two-time Olympic champion who raced from 1998 to 2017. Olsson won five individual FIS Cross-Country World Cup victories and two additional podium finishes during his career.

Johan Olsson
Johan Olsson in 2013
Country Sweden
Full nameJohan Arne Olsson
Born (1980-03-19) 19 March 1980 (age 44)
Skultuna, Sweden
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Spouse(s)
(m. 2008)
Ski clubÅsarna IK
World Cup career
Seasons16 – (20012015, 2017)
Indiv. starts101
Indiv. podiums7
Indiv. wins5
Team starts25
Team podiums9
Team wins1
Overall titles0 – (14th in 2009, 2012)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Sweden
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 2 1 3
World Championships 2 4 2
Total 4 5 5
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver 4 × 10 km relay
Gold medal – first place 2014 Sochi 4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2014 Sochi 15 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Turin 4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Vancouver 30 km skiathlon
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Vancouver 50 km classical
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Val di Fiemme 50 km classical
Gold medal – first place 2015 Falun 15 km freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2011 Oslo 4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2013 Val di Fiemme 15 km freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2013 Val di Fiemme 4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2015 Falun 4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Falun 50 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Lahti 4 × 10 km relay
U23 World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2003 Valdidentro 30 km classical
Junior World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2000 Štrbské Pleso 4 × 10 km relay

Athletic career

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Olsson became an Olympian in 2006 when he was selected to represent Sweden in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He earned a bronze medal in the 4 × 10 km relay and finished 6th in the 15 km event. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Olsson earned a bronze medal in the 30 km pursuit after leading most of the race, and together with the Swedish team he won the gold medal on the 4 × 10 km relay after a deciding performance on the 2nd stage. During the same Olympic Games Olsson won another bronze medal in the 50 km event.

In the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013 in Val di Fiemme, Olsson won the prestigious 50 km classical race. He pulled ahead of the pack after 20 km and never let go of his lead.[1] It was an impressive solo performance to win Sweden's first gold medal on the 50 km in a big competition in over 20 years. Olsson also won silver on the 15 km freestyle, finishing 9 seconds behind Petter Northug.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics Olsson won a silver medal at the 15 km classical.

Olsson retired from skiing before the 2015–2016 season, but announced a comeback in April 2016 for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti.[2] Olsson retired from professional skiing in April 2017.[3]

On 12 April 2017, his second retirement from cross-country skiing was announced.[4]

Coaching career

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In May 2018, it was announced that Olsson would become a coach for Team Sweden men's cross-country skiing, for the 2018–2019 season, together with Mattias Nilsson and Fredrik Uusitalo.[5]

Cross-country skiing results

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All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[6]

Olympic Games

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  • 6 medals – (2 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)
 Year   Age   15 km 
 individual 
 30 km 
 skiathlon 
 50 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2006 25 6 23 25 Bronze
2010 29 11 Bronze Bronze Gold
2014 33 Silver 9 Gold

World Championships

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  • 8 medals – (2 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)
 Year   Age   15 km 
 individual 
 30 km 
 skiathlon 
 50 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2005 24 46 21 19 7
2007 26 7 20
2009 28 8 16 6
2011 30 17 16 16 Silver
2013 32 Silver Gold Silver
2015 34 Gold Bronze Silver
2017 36 9 26 Bronze

World Cup

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Season standings

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 Season   Age  Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Sprint Nordic
Opening
Tour de
Ski
World Cup
Final
2001 21 NC
2002 22 NC
2003 23 NC
2004 24 78 52
2005 25 55 33
2006 26 74 50
2007 27 61 36
2008 28 45 25
2009 29 14 7 NC 13
2010 30 38 17 NC DNF
2011 31 45 34 NC 7 DNF
2012 32 14 10 NC 5
2013 33 18 16 NC 9 DNF
2014 34 75 44
2015 35 94 54
2017 37 69 40

Individual podiums

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  • 5 victories – (5 WC)
  • 7 podiums – (7 WC)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1 2008–09 13 December 2008   Davos, Switzerland 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st
2 24 January 2009   Otepää, Estonia 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
3 14 February 2009   Valdidentro, Italy 15 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
4 2011–12 19 November 2011   Sjusjøen, Norway 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st
5 11 February 2012   Nové Město, Czech Republic 30 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
6 18 February 2012   Szklarska Poręba, Poland 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st
7 2012–13 17 February 2013   Davos, Switzerland 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st

Team podiums

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  • 1 victory – (1 RL)
  • 9 podiums – (9 RL)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
1 2003–04 14 December 2003   Davos, Switzerland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Larsson / Larsson / Högberg
2 2007–08 9 December 2007   Davos, Switzerland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Larsson / Södergren / Hellner
3 2008–09 23 November 2008   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Rickardsson / Andreasson / Hellner
4 7 December 2008   La Clusaz, France 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Rickardsson / Södergren / Hellner
5 2010–11 21 November 2010   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Larsson / Rickardsson / Hellner
6 2011–12 20 November 2011   Sjusjøen, Norway 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Hellner / Rickardsson / Halfvarsson
7 12 February 2012   Nové Město, Czech Republic 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Rickardsson / Södergren / Hellner
8 2012–13 25 November 2012   Gällivare, Sweden 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Jönsson / Rickardsson / Hellner
9 20 January 2013   La Clusaz, France 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Rickardsson / Halfvarsson / Hellner
10 2016–17 21 January 2017   Ulricehamn, Sweden 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Rickardsson / Hellner / Halfvarsson

Personal life

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Olsson married his former teammate Anna Olsson (née Dahlberg) in 2008. Together they have two daughters, named Molly and Signe.

References

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  1. ^ "Johan Olsson wins 50K cross-country ski world championship". Sports Illustrated. CNN. March 3, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  2. ^ "Olsson back on the national as Swedish coaching staff announced - FIS-SKI". Archived from the original on 2018-09-15. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  3. ^ "Johan Olsson retires from elite skiing - FIS-SKI". Archived from the original on 2017-11-17. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  4. ^ Gustaf Andersson (12 April 2017). "Därför lägger Johan Olsson av" (in Swedish). Dagens nyheter. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Johan Olsson tillbaka i skidlandslaget" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  6. ^ "OLSSON Johan". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
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