Olympia: What is Norway Doing So Much Better Than Germany?
Norway has fewer residents than the German state of Hessen. Yet, the Scandinavian nation consistently dominates winter sports, having won every Olympic medal table since 2014. Records continue to fall at the current Winter Games in Italy. What’s behind this sustained success, and what can Germany learn from its northern European rival?
The question isn’t new. As far back as 2026, the German cross-country skiing team coach, Peter Schlickenrieder, jokingly suggested, “We’re going to do everything like the Norwegians,” acknowledging the difficulty of simply replicating their success. Norway is, once again, the dominant force in skiing at these Olympic Winter Games. Johannes Dale-Skjevdal’s gold in the biathlon mass start brought the Scandinavian nation’s total to 17 – a record for a single Winter Olympics.
A Unique Sporting Culture
A key factor is the deep integration of sports into Norwegian life. “In Norway, sport plays a big role in the culture. That is the biggest factor,” eight-time Olympic medalist Ole Einar Bjørndalen told t-online. “We simply enjoy being outdoors and playing sports.”
This concept, known as “Friluftsliv” – roughly translated as “open-air living” – is instilled in children from a young age. Sports and outdoor activity are also heavily emphasized in the Norwegian school system. Wintersports, in particular, hold a special place within the broad range of athletic pursuits available.
International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry even suggested that the Olympics should perhaps be held in Norway, stating, “If you win so many gold medals, you obviously have many venues that the entire Olympic movement can benefit from. Norway has done an incredible job.”
The Advantage of Snow
In Norway, it’s often said that children are born with skis on their feet. Many Norwegian children learn to ski as soon as they can walk, and they have more opportunities to do so than their counterparts in Germany. Snowy winters and numerous ski resorts and cross-country trails allow Norwegians to participate in wintersports for a significant portion of the year.
“That’s our disadvantage, that we have a month or two less snow,” Schlickenrieder explained. “Klaebo has probably circled the globe on snow more times than we have by the time he’s 25.”
Cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has already won five gold medals at these Winter Games and has another chance on Saturday in the 50-kilometer race. No athlete has ever won six gold medals at a single Winter Olympics.
A Tiny Nation Dominates the Medal Table
Beyond the climatic conditions, Norway’s approach to youth sports plays a crucial role. Ski clubs prioritize introducing children to the sport in a playful manner.
“They try to retain the extreme performance mindset away from children for as long as possible,” Schlickenrieder said. He believes this is one of the reasons Klaebo has turn into an exceptional cross-country skier. The 29-year-old is the most successful athlete in Winter Olympics history, with ten gold medals. Germany could learn from Norway, particularly in the area of youth development.
Following Klaebo in the rankings are fellow Norwegians Marit Bjørgen (cross-country skiing), Bjørndalen (biathlon), and Björn Dählie (cross-country skiing), all with eight gold medals. Since 2014, Norway has won every medal table at the world’s most crucial winter sports event. Remarkably, this Scandinavian country, with a population of around 5.6 million, has fewer inhabitants than the German state of Hessen.
Many Role Models
Norway has been actively promoting wintersports, including youth programs, since the 1990s. This consistent success creates new role models and motivates children to take up skiing.
Even controversies, such as biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid’s admission of infidelity during these Winter Games, or the scandal surrounding manipulated ski jumping suits at last year’s World Championships in Trondheim, haven’t had a lasting negative impact.
The struggles of German athletes in disciplines where they once excelled at these Winter Games are also being noticed in Norway. The Nordic combined team, for example, has not won a medal at the Winter Olympics since 1998. Biathlon results have also been disappointing.
“I’d like to know what they’re doing in training,” Norwegian biathlon record world champion Johannes Thingnes Bø said in an interview with WELT. “The situation doesn’t just affect one athlete, but both teams – men and women. They’re not running fast enough, they’re not shooting well enough. Something has to change. They should look more at France and Norway.”
Looking to Norway as a model – that was Peter Schlickenrieder’s idea some time ago, and it remains a relevant path forward.
What’s Next: The Olympic Winter Games continue through February 24th, with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo aiming for a record-breaking sixth gold medal in the 50km cross-country race. Follow archysport.com for continued coverage and analysis.