Birgit Lovise Roekkum Skarstein

Started: She took up Para rowing in 2012. (worldrowing.com, 21 May 2014) Reason: After acquiring her impairment, she took up Para cross-country skiing. She began Para rowing because she wanted to get involved in a summer sport. "I wanted to get back into sports and asked around to find a good summer sport. The chief of Paralympic sports in Norway guided me towards rowing as he thought that would fit my body and mind. Luckily I got straight into a really great rowing club and was taken in with spirit and lots of challenges. I just completely fell in love." (Paralympic Games Facebook page, 01 Mar 2020; worldrowing.com, 01 Nov 2019) Milestones: She became the first rower representing Norway to win gold at the Paralympic Games by claiming victory in the women's PR1 single sculls at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 21 Jan 2024; olympics.com, 07 Jan 2022) Awards: She was named Female Para Athlete of the Year at the 2023 Norway Sports Gala. (dagsavisen.no, 06 Jan 2024) She was named Female Para Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Norway Sports Gala. She also received the Honorary Prize of Egeberg, which recognises Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. (aftenposten.no, 25 May 2019; innherred.no, 05 Jan 2019) She was flag bearer for Norway at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (pyeongchang2018.com, 09 Mar 2018) She received the 2016 Tronder Award, which recognises outstanding achievement in the Trondelag region of Norway. (adressa.no, 06 Jan 2017) Additional Info: COMBINING ROWING AND SKIING She has competed in both Para rowing and Para cross-country skiing at international level. "Rowing is my number one priority. I train and compete in skiing to become a better rower and find this to be a great combination. Changing around sports and movements makes me able to train better, to train more, and to lower the risk of injuries. Rowing does make me a better skier as it gives me strength and endurance as well as a competitive mindset. Skiing gives me the hours and hours I need as base training. Changing environments and movements keeps me sharp and hungry, and I can pick up the best parts from both environments." (paralympic.org, 04 Mar 2022; olympics.com, 07 Jan 2022; worldrowing.com, 01 Nov 2019) OCCUPATION In 2022 she began working as communications staff and advisory board chair at Reitan Retail in Norway. (e24.no, 03 Dec 2023, 23 May 2022; LinkedIn profile, 01 Dec 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES She has served on the International Paralympic Committee [IPC] athlete's council, the finance committee of Oslo City Council in Norway, and the Norwegian Advisory Board of Biotechnology. (handikapnytt.no, 13 Mar 2022; paralympic.org, 28 Oct 2021; worldrowing.com, 01 Nov 2019; Athlete, 26 Feb 2018) DANCING WITH THE STARS In 2020 she became the first wheelchair dancer to feature on Norwegian celebrity talent show 'Skal vi danse?' [Shall we Dance?]. She made the decision to take part in the programme following the postponement of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and finished in sixth place. "I like the show because it's so demanding. It's really difficult and the fact that no one has ever done it in a wheelchair in Norway, it means that we can break some new ground. It's cross-training at a whole new level. It surprised me that no matter how many boundaries we broke, or how many crazy impossible things we managed to nail, there was always some people not believing in us and saying I shouldn't be there. Sometimes it felt like it was us against the world and it brought us into a mission that was bigger than us, the mission of communicating that dance is for everyone and we are a part of this world just as much as you are." (seher.no, 06 Apr 2023; paralympic.org, 04 Mar 2022, 22 Aug 2020; olympics.com, 07 Jan 2022)