Björn Ferry
Encyclopedia
Björn Ferry is a Swedish
biathlete and medal winning Olympian. He began competing internationally in World Cup competitions in 2001, but did not win his first international race until the 2007/2008 season. In 2007, he won gold in the mixed relay event at the Biathlon World Championships. The next year, at his third Winter Olympics appearance, he won the gold medal in the pursuit
event. He started the event in 8th place as determined by the previous sprint event, but managed to overtake the race leader on the final lap.
in Hochfilzen
in 2001, and earned his first World Cup points after only skiing three races. He finished his first season ranked 36th in World Cup standings. In World Cup competition, he slowly improved his ranking, and by the 2006/2007 season was ranked in the top ten worldwide. His first Olympic appearance, at the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, Utah
, was disappointing, but four years later at the 2006 Games
in Turin
, Italy
he was a member of a Swedish relay team that placed fourth, just off the medal stand.
Ferry has seen some of his strongest efforts and best finishes in Italy, even beyond the 2006 success. Both of his two World Cup victories came in the pursuit in Antholz-Anterselva, in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons. In 2007, he won a gold medal in the mixed relay in the 2007 World Championships alongside Helena Jonsson
, Anna Carin Olofsson
, and Carl Johan Bergman
. Although his 2009/2010 season was lackluster, and Ferry saw his ranking drop from 9th to 16th place in the World Cup, Ferry was again selected for the Swedish team for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver
, Canada
. In the pursuit event
held on February 16, Ferry finished in first place, winning the gold medal after catching and passing the race leader on the final lap of the race. He beat second place finisher Christoph Sumann
of Austria
by only 16.5 seconds. The victory marked the first Olympic biathlon gold for a Swedish athlete in a half-century.
Ferry practices with the Storuman IK club. His personal coach is German Wolfgang Pichler.
, who has won multiple world championships in armwrestling.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
biathlete and medal winning Olympian. He began competing internationally in World Cup competitions in 2001, but did not win his first international race until the 2007/2008 season. In 2007, he won gold in the mixed relay event at the Biathlon World Championships. The next year, at his third Winter Olympics appearance, he won the gold medal in the pursuit
Biathlon at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's pursuit
The men's pursuit competition in biathlon at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia on February 16, 2010...
event. He started the event in 8th place as determined by the previous sprint event, but managed to overtake the race leader on the final lap.
Athletic career
Ferry debuted in the World CupBiathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
in Hochfilzen
Hochfilzen
Hochfilzen is a small village in Tyrol, Austria, in the Kitzbühel district. It is located at , in the Pillersee valley 5km west of Fieberbrunn. Population was 1,109 in 2001.It is a popular winter sports resort, especially for cross country skiing...
in 2001, and earned his first World Cup points after only skiing three races. He finished his first season ranked 36th in World Cup standings. In World Cup competition, he slowly improved his ranking, and by the 2006/2007 season was ranked in the top ten worldwide. His first Olympic appearance, at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, was disappointing, but four years later at the 2006 Games
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
he was a member of a Swedish relay team that placed fourth, just off the medal stand.
Ferry has seen some of his strongest efforts and best finishes in Italy, even beyond the 2006 success. Both of his two World Cup victories came in the pursuit in Antholz-Anterselva, in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons. In 2007, he won a gold medal in the mixed relay in the 2007 World Championships alongside Helena Jonsson
Helena Jonsson
Helena Ekholm is a Swedish biathlete. She was born in Helgum, Sollefteå Municipality. She is the reigning world champion in pursuit. She also won the Women's Biathlon World Cup in the 2008-09 season....
, Anna Carin Olofsson
Anna Carin Olofsson
Anna Carin Zidek is a Swedish former biathlete who won a silver medal in the 7.5 km sprint and a gold medal in the 12.5 km mass start event at the 2006 Winter Olympics...
, and Carl Johan Bergman
Carl Johan Bergman
Carl Johan Bergman is a Swedish biathlete. He lives in Lillehammer, Norway with his Norwegian girlfriend, Liv Kjersti Eikeland. He is , and weighs 152 lb ....
. Although his 2009/2010 season was lackluster, and Ferry saw his ranking drop from 9th to 16th place in the World Cup, Ferry was again selected for the Swedish team for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In the pursuit event
Biathlon at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's pursuit
The men's pursuit competition in biathlon at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia on February 16, 2010...
held on February 16, Ferry finished in first place, winning the gold medal after catching and passing the race leader on the final lap of the race. He beat second place finisher Christoph Sumann
Christoph Sumann
Christoph "Sumi" Sumann is an Austrian biathlete.As many fellow biathletes Sumann picked up the sport switching from cross-country skiing he had been doing since childhood. By mid-1990s he entered junior ski team of Austria and he made it onto the senior level later on...
of Austria
Austria at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Austria participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- Medalists :- Alpine Skiing :Stefanie Köhle, Mario Matt and Hannes Reichelt were withdrawn from the squad prior to the opening ceremony- Biathlon :...
by only 16.5 seconds. The victory marked the first Olympic biathlon gold for a Swedish athlete in a half-century.
Ferry practices with the Storuman IK club. His personal coach is German Wolfgang Pichler.
Opposition to doping
Ferry has been outspoken in his opposition to the use of banned substances by athletes who participate in international competition, a practice known as doping. In 2009, he was quoted referring to Russian athletes who had used such substances as 'idiots' and received a number of death threats. During the 2010 winter Olympics, he was quoted saying he would not mind if athletes who use banned substances would get the death penalty or, "at least lots of kicks in the balls." Further comments referred to dopers as people with low moral standards and suggested that the problem of use of banned substances in sport would not go away until more severe penalties were imposed.Personal life
Ferry is married to armwrestler Heidi AnderssonHeidi Andersson
Heidi Andersson is a Swedish armwrestler. She has won the World Championships in armwrestling eight times...
, who has won multiple world championships in armwrestling.