Cesana San Sicario, 25 February 2006, XX Olympic Winter Games: Silver medalist, Kati Wilhelm of Germany (L) and bronze medalist Uschi Disl of Germany carry gold medalist Anna Carin Olofsson of Sweden in triumph after the biathlon 12.5km mass start final. Credit: Getty Images/Donald MiralleOther names: DISL, Ursula
Born: 15 November 1970
Birthplace: Bad Tölz, Germany
Nationality: Germany
Sport: Biathlon
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Albertville 1992
Lillehammer 1994
Nagano 1998
Salt Lake City 2002
Turin 2006
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 2
Silver: 4
Bronze: 3
Other results:
World Championships
Gold: 8 (92, 95, 96, 97, 99, 2005)
Silver: 8 (95, 2000, 2001, 2005)
Bronze: 3 (91, 2003, 2005)
Most Medalled Biathlete
Ursula "Uschi" Disl has won more medals (8) than any other athlete in the history of Olympic biathlon. At the 1992 Albertville Games, Disl skied the leadoff leg for the German team that finished second in the 3 x 7.5-kilometre relay. She also competed in the two individual events, placing 11th at 7.5 kilometres and 24th at 15 kilometres. Two years later in Lillehammer, she again led off for the German team in the 4 x 7.5-kilometre relay, and again placed second. At those Games, she also picked up a bronze medal in the 15-kilometre individual race and finished 13th in the 7.5km individual. In 1998, Disl placed third in the 15 kilometres and then, six days later, faced friendly rival Galina Kukleva of Russia at 7.5 kilometres. Starting and finishing one minute after Kukleva, Disl crossed the line and fell on her face. Kukleva helped her to her feet and they looked up to see that Kukleva had won by seven tenths of a second. By the time of the 1998 relay, Disl had won five Olympic medals, but never a gold. For good luck she had her hair dyed golden blonde — but the job was botched and it ended up red. During the mass start, an opponent stepped on one of Disl's ski poles and she dropped it. In retrieving the pole, she fell back to 15th place, but she was able to move up to third by the end of her leg. The third skier, Katrin Apel, put Germany in the lead and anchor Petra Behle held on to help Disl gain her first gold medal. At the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, Disl began by placing 12th in the 15-kilometre race. Two days later, she earned another silver medal at 7.5 kilometres. In the relay, racing the second leg for Germany, she recorded the fastest loop time of the competition to lead her team to victory. Aged 31 at the time, Disl is oldest woman biathlete ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
