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Kristina Smigun

Kristina Šmigun-Vähi
Kristina Šmigun Otepää MK.JPG
Kristina Šmigun in Otepää in 2006
Born (1977-02-23) 23 February 1977 (age 40)
Tartu, Estonia
Height 168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Ski club Oti Sportclub
World Cup career
Seasons 19942007, 2010
Individual wins 16
Indiv. podiums 50
Overall titles 0 – (2nd in 2000 and 2003)
Updated on 7 September 2016.

Kristina Šmigun-Vähi (born 23 February 1977 in Tartu) is a former and so far most successful Estonian female cross-country skier. Her parents, Anatoli Šmigun and Rutt Rehemaa were both prominent Nordic skiers. Kristina Šmigun-Vähi was coached by her father.

On 12 February 2006, she won the Winter Olympics gold medal for the 7.5 km + 7.5 km double pursuit, becoming the first Estonian woman to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. Four days later, she won a second gold medal in the 10 km classical.

On 15 February 2010, she won her third Olympic medal, a silver in the 10 km freestyle race. With two golds and one silver, Kristina Šmigun-Vähi is the most successful Estonian athlete in Olympic history (summer or winter), tying the record of men's cross-country skier Andrus Veerpalu.

Šmigun-Vähi has also found success at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, earning six medals. This included one gold (2003: 5 km + 5 km double pursuit), three silvers (1999: 15 km, 2003: 10 km, 15 km), and two bronzes (1999, 2003: both in 30 km).

On 2 July 2010, Šmigun-Vähi announced that she will quit her professional sport career to focus on her family and her daughter Victoria-Kris. On 24 October 2016, the World Anti-Doping Agency Athletes' Commission stated that Šmig-Vähi faced a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing before the end of October.

Šmigun-Vähi is married to her long-time manager Kristjan-Thor Vähi (07.07.2007). She did not participate in the 2007–08 season due to pregnancy and she also missed the following 2008–2009 season. Her daughter Victoria-Kris was born in June 2008. Šmigun-Vähi had a son in March 2011.

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

Note: Until 1999 World Championships and 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races are part of the World Cup. Hence results from those races are included in the World Cup overall record.


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