Olaf Tufte, Norway's most decorated rower, dies at 50

Olaf Tufte, Norway's most decorated rower, dies at 50

Olaf Tufte, Norway's most successful Olympic rower, has died at the age of 50. He was found unconscious on his farm on Tuesday and taken to a hospital in Oslo, where he later died.

Tufte is the most decorated Norwegian rower in Olympic history. He won gold in the single sculls at the 2004 Athens Games and repeated the feat in 2008 in Beijing. He also earned a silver medal in the double sculls in 2000 in Sydney and a bronze in the same event in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. In total, he competed in seven Olympics.

In addition to his Olympic achievements, Tufte was a two-time world champion, once a world vice-champion, and won three world championship bronze medals.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre expressed his condolences: “Tufte brought immense joy to our nation through his sporting achievements. He was one of Norway's greatest sports heroes, a decorated summer Olympian, one of the best Norwegian rowers of all time, and a great role model for many.”

In recent years, Tufte had been working as a farmer.