Jernberg, Sixten

▪ Swedish skier

born Feb. 6, 1929, Lima, Swed.

      Swedish Nordic skier who won nine Olympic medals in cross-country skiing competition.

      Originally a lumberjack by trade, Jernberg first came to prominence as a skier in the 1954 world championships. He won four Winter Games gold medals: for the 50-km race (at the 1956 Olympics (Olympic Games) at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, and the 1964 Olympics (Olympic Games) at Innsbruck, Austria); the 30-km race (at the Games (Olympic Games) at Squaw Valley, Calif., U.S., in 1960); and as a member of the Swedish 4×10-km relay team (again at Innsbruck in 1964). He also won three silver and two bronze medals and seven consecutive Swedish Nordic titles (1954–60). Jernberg retired after the Olympic Winter Games of 1964 and was proclaimed a Swedish national hero.

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