Edy Sixten Jernberg, known as "Sixten", (6 February 1929 – 14 July 2012) was a
Swedishcross-country skier and one of the most successful cross-country skiers of all time.[1][2] Between 1952 and 1964 he took part in 363 ski races, finishing within the podium in 263 and winning 134 of them; during this period he won four world titles and nine Olympic medals. In 12 starts over three consecutive Winter Games he never finished worse than fifth place, and between 1955 and 1960, he won 86 out of 161 competitions.[3][4]
Jernberg was a blacksmith and a lumberjack before beginning his career as a cross-country skier.[3] He specialized in the longer distances, with four of his eight gold medals coming over 50 km, one over 30 km and three in the 4 × 10 km relay. He also won
Vasaloppet twice, 1955 and 1960.[5] He won the 15 km at the
Holmenkollen ski festival in 1954.
At one competition, Jernberg had a fever and coughed up blood, but still finished the 50 km event.[6]Gunde Svan said: "It was almost like [Sixten] didn't like his own body and tried to punish it in different ways."[7]
Jernberg retired after the Olympic Winter Games of 1964. In 1965, the
International Olympic Committee awarded Jernberg the Mohammed Taher Trophy for his contributions to Nordic skiing.[3] He died of stroke at the age of 83.[8] His nephew
Ingemar became an Olympic pole vaulter.[3]
^Från Sixten till Kalla (From Sixten to Kalla), a documentary film about Swedish ski history during the last 100 years by Jens Lind,
Sveriges Television, 2008.
Edy Sixten Jernberg, known as "Sixten", (6 February 1929 – 14 July 2012) was a
Swedishcross-country skier and one of the most successful cross-country skiers of all time.[1][2] Between 1952 and 1964 he took part in 363 ski races, finishing within the podium in 263 and winning 134 of them; during this period he won four world titles and nine Olympic medals. In 12 starts over three consecutive Winter Games he never finished worse than fifth place, and between 1955 and 1960, he won 86 out of 161 competitions.[3][4]
Jernberg was a blacksmith and a lumberjack before beginning his career as a cross-country skier.[3] He specialized in the longer distances, with four of his eight gold medals coming over 50 km, one over 30 km and three in the 4 × 10 km relay. He also won
Vasaloppet twice, 1955 and 1960.[5] He won the 15 km at the
Holmenkollen ski festival in 1954.
At one competition, Jernberg had a fever and coughed up blood, but still finished the 50 km event.[6]Gunde Svan said: "It was almost like [Sixten] didn't like his own body and tried to punish it in different ways."[7]
Jernberg retired after the Olympic Winter Games of 1964. In 1965, the
International Olympic Committee awarded Jernberg the Mohammed Taher Trophy for his contributions to Nordic skiing.[3] He died of stroke at the age of 83.[8] His nephew
Ingemar became an Olympic pole vaulter.[3]
^Från Sixten till Kalla (From Sixten to Kalla), a documentary film about Swedish ski history during the last 100 years by Jens Lind,
Sveriges Television, 2008.