Quick Facts
Biography
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.
Career
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 Šmigun, who won two gold medals at the Turin Games, faces a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing before the end of October. If Šmigun were to be stripped of her gold medals, Kateřina Neumannová of Czech Republic could be elevated to gold in the 7.5 + 7.5 km double pursuit event. Marit Bjørgen of Norway could acquire a seventh gold medal in the 10 km classical event.
Personal life
Kristina 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. Kristina had a son in March 2011.
World Cup results
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Season titles
- 2 titles – (1 long distance, 1 middle distance)
| Season | Discipline |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Long Distance |
| 2000 | Middle Distance |
Season standings
| Season | Age | Overall | Distance | Sprint | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 16 | 60 | N/A | N/A | |
| 1995 | 17 | 29 | N/A | N/A | |
| 1996 | 18 | 17 | N/A | N/A | |
| 1997 | 19 | 13 | 21[a] | 15 | |
| 1998 | 20 | 19 | 15[a] | 7 | |
| 1999 | 21 | 4 | 1[a] | 3 | |
| 2000 | 22 | 2 | 1[b] | 2[b] | 3 |
| 2001 | 23 | 10 | N/A | 23 | |
| 2002 | 24 | 4 | N/A | 24 | |
| 2003 | 25 | 2 | N/A | 41 | |
| 2004 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 47 | |
| 2005 | 27 | 4 | 3 | 79 | |
| 2006 | 28 | 17 | 11 | 38 | |
| 2007 | 29 | 11 | 5 | – | |
| 2008 | 30 | family leave | |||
| 2009 | 31 | ||||
| 2010 | 32 | 32 | 22 | 84 | |
Individual podiums
- 16 victories
- 50 podiums
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998–99 | 27 December 1998 |  Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany | 1.0 km Sprint F | World Cup | 2nd |
| 2 | 5 January 1999 |  Otepää, Estonia | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 3 | 12 January 1999 |  Nové Město, Czech Republic | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st | |
| 4 | 19 February 1999 |  Ramsau, Austria | 15 km F Mass Start | World Championships[a] | 2nd | |
| 5 | 27 February 1999 | Ramsau, Austria | 30 km C Mass Start | World Championships[a] | 3rd | |
| 6 | 20 March 1999 |  Oslo, Norway | 30 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 7 | 1999–2000 | 5 December 1999 |  Kiruna, Sweden | 5 km C Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 8 | 10 December 1999 |  Sappada, Italy | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 9 | 28 December 1999 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany | 1.5 km F Sprint | World Cup | 1st | |
| 10 | 8 January 2000 |  Moscow, Russia | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 11 | 12 January 2000 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 12 | 16 February 2000 |  Ulrichen, Switzerland | 5 km C Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 13 | 20 February 2000 |  Lamoura Mouthe, France | 44 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 14 | 3 March 2000 |  Lahti, Finland | 1.2 km Sprint F | World Cup | 1st | |
| 15 | 2000–01 | 29 November 2000 | Beitostølen, Norway | 5 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 16 | 20 December 2000 | Davos, Switzerland | 15 km C Mass Start | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 17 | 2001–02 | 25 November 2001 | Kuopio, Finland | 5 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 18 | 12 December 2001 | Brusson, Italy | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 19 | 15 December 2001 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 20 | 22 December 2001 | Ramsau, Austria | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st | |
| 21 | 2 March 2002 | Lahti, Finland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 22 | 16 March 2002 | Oslo, Norway | 30 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 23 | 2002–03 | 23 November 2002 | Kiruna, Sweden | 5 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 24 | 30 November 2002 | Kuusamo, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 25 | 7 December 2002 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 26 | 14 December 2002 | Cogne, Italy | 10 km C Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 27 | 21 December 2002 | Ramsau, Austria | 2x5 km M Pursuit | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 28 | 4 January 2003 | Kavgolovo, Russia | 5 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 29 | 12 January 2003 | Otepää, Estonia | 15 km C Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 30 | 18 January 2003 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 31 | 2003–04 | 22 November 2003 | Beitostølen, Norway | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 32 | 28 November 2003 | Kuusamo, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 33 | 29 November 2003 | Kuusamo, Finland | 2x7.5 km M Pursuit | World Cup | 1st | |
| 34 | 6 December 2003 | Toblach, Italy | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st | |
| 35 | 20 December 2003 | Ramsau, Austria | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 36 | 21 December 2003 | Ramsau, Austria | 2x7.5 km M Pursuit | World Cup | 1st | |
| 37 | 6 January 2004 | Falun, Sweden | 2x7.5 km M Pursuit | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 38 | 10 January 2004 | Otepää, Estonia | 15 km C Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 39 | 2004–05 | 20 November 2004 | Gällivare, Sweden | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 40 | 26 November 2004 | Kuusamo, Finland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 41 | 28 November 2004 | Kuusamo, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 42 | 11 December 2004 | Lago di Tesero, Italy | 2x7.5 km M Pursuit | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 43 | 18 December 2004 | Ramsau, Austria | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st | |
| 44 | 2005–06 | 27 November 2005 | Kuusamo, Finland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 45 | 7 January 2006 | Otepää, Estonia | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 46 | 2006–07 | 18 November 2006 | Gällivare, Sweden | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 47 | 26 November 2006 | Kuusamo, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 48 | 11 March 2007 | Lahti, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 49 | 2009–10 | 12 December 2009 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 50 | 21 March 2010 | Falun, Sweden | 10 km F Handicap | Stage World Cup | 3rd |
Overall record
| Result | Distance Races[a] | Sprint | Ski Tours | Individual Events | Team Events | All Events | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 5 km[b] | ≤ 10 km[b] | ≤ 15 km[b] | ≤ 30 km[b] | ≥ 30 km[b] | Pursuit[c] | Team Sprint | Relay[d] | |||||
| 1st place | 3 | 5 | 4 | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | 16 | – | – | 16 |
| 2nd place | – | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 18 | – | – | 18 |
| 3rd place | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | 16 | – | – | 16 |
| Podiums | 6 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | – | 50 | – | – | 50 |
| Top 10 | 16 | 47 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 111 | – | 4 | 115 |
| Points | 27 | 58 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 1 | 163 | – | 6 | 169 |
| Others | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 1[e] | 10 | – | – | 10 |
| Starts | 29 | 60 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 19 | 24 | 2 | 173 | – | 6 | 179 |
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.
Olympic results
- 3 medals – (2 gold, 1 silver)
| Year | Age | 5 km individual | 10 km individual | 2x5 km pursuit | 15 km individual | 15 km pursuit | 15 km mass start | 30 km mass start | Sprint | 4x5 km relay | Team sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 17 | 30 | N/A | N/A | 28 | 27 | N/A | – | N/A | – | N/A |
| 1998 | 21 | – | N/A | N/A | – | – | N/A | 46 | N/A | – | N/A |
| 2002 | 25 | N/A | DNF | 13 | N/A | N/A | 7 | 7 | 25 | – | N/A |
| 2006 | 29 | N/A | 1 | N/A | N/A | 1 | N/A | 8 | – | – | – |
| 2010 | 33 | N/A | 2 | N/A | N/A | DNF | N/A | 27 | – | – | – |
World Championship results
- 6 medals – (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze)
| Year | Age | 5 km individual | 10 km individual | 2x5 km pursuit | 15 km individual | 15 km pursuit | 15 km mass start | 30 km mass start | Sprint | 4x5 km relay | Team sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 18 | 5 | N/A | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | – | N/A | – | N/A |
| 1997 | 20 | 28 | N/A | N/A | 8 | 9 | N/A | – | N/A | – | N/A |
| 1999 | 22 | 9 | N/A | N/A | 2 | 6 | N/A | 3 | N/A | – | N/A |
| 2001 | 24 | N/A | 12 | – | 41 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 19 | – | N/A |
| 2003 | 26 | N/A | 2 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 2 | 3 | – | – | N/A |
| 2005 | 28 | N/A | 4 | N/A | N/A | DNF | N/A | 14 | – | 13 | – |
| 2007 | 30 | N/A | 9 | N/A | N/A | 10 | N/A | 6 | – | 15 | – |