Norway leads the table with 27 medals, including 12 gold, ahead of hosts Italy. The Scandinavian nation has consistently led the medals tally since the 2014 Games in Sochi and had also scored well in previous Olympics.
“We know that we have to be successful in every event we participate in. But we try to be very gentle and polite and we respect our competitors very much,” Ovrebo told Reuters. He stressed that Norway does not take success for granted.
Ovrebo said Norway’s advantage starts away from specific features and medal targets. He said, “It is not so easy to say what the secret is. It has to do with the way our society is organized.”
“We distribute funds so that there are opportunities for children to participate in sports and for parents to help them. People work eight hours a day and then they have a few hours to play sports with their children.”
Focus on fun, not initial performance
Ovrebo said Norway’s model is designed to keep kids in the game by protecting their enjoyment rather than putting pressure on them to win. “We try not to focus on winning early,” he said.
Children are encouraged to play many sports, develop broad physical and social skills, and avoid early rankings.
“We should not be breeding losers. We should be breeding young little winners. The winning part is being a part of the game and celebrating.”
“The purpose of doing sports in Norway is to live a good life. So you start young and learn motor skills, social skills, and then you learn how to use your body in a physical setting.”
Ovrebo said Norway’s success is reinforced by a collegial sports system built on cooperation between coaches and federations that has shaped the elite sports system since 1988.
“We share knowledge because we are not big enough to live in a box,” he said. “People who really have knowledge know each other, or they learn to know each other because (the country) is so small.”
Participation in secondhand market increases
Even in expensive winter sports, Norway tries to make participation possible for all families, Ovrebo said. “We have a huge market for used equipment,” he said. “A lot of the athletes who come here are pretty good, they’ve used the equipment during their youth.”
Looking ahead to the remaining Games, Ovrebo confirmed that Norway is aiming for 35 medals.
“We want to show that we believe in our athletes but the athletes shouldn’t be too worried about that.”
Ovrebo said the same philosophy applies when top talents choose to leave the Norwegian system, as skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen did before moving to Brazil.
“If he’s happier competing for Brazil, he should choose Brazil,” he said. “We will never stop anyone.”
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