Kristina Šmigun-Vähi
# Kristina Šmigun-Vähi

Kristina Šmigun-Vähi (born 23 February 1977) is a former Estonian female cross-country skier and politician. She is the most successful Estonian female cross-country skier with two Olympic gold medals. In 2019 she was elected as a Member of the Estonian Parliament.

## 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, 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-Vähi faced a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing before the end of October.

## Personal life

She is the daughter of former cross-country skiers Rutt and Anatoli Šmigun. Her sister Katrin Šmigun and cousin Aivar Rehemaa were also cross-country skiers.

Šmigun-Vähi is married to her long-time manager Kristjan-Thor Vähi, She missed the 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons due to pregnancy. She has two children, daughter born in 2008 and son born in 2011.

## Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).

### Olympic Games

* 3 medals – (2 gold, 1 silver)

| Year | Age | 5 km | 10 km | 15 km | Pursuit | 30 km | Sprint | 4 × 5 km  relay | Team  sprint |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1994 | 17 | 30 | — | 28 | 27 | — | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 21 | — | — | — | — | 46 | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 25 | — | DNF | 7 | 13 | 7 | 25 | — | — |
| 2006 | 29 | — | Gold | — | Gold | 8 | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 33 | — | Silver | — | DNF | 27 | — | — | — |

### World Championships

* 6 medals – (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze)

| Year | Age | 5 km | 10 km | 15 km | Pursuit | 30 km | Sprint | 4 × 5 km  relay | Team  sprint |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1995 | 18 | 5 | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 20 | 28 | — | 8 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 22 | 9 | — | Silver | 6 | Bronze | — | — | — |
| 2001 | 24 | — | 12 | 41 | — | CNX | 19 | — | — |
| 2003 | 26 | — | Silver | Silver | Gold | Bronze | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 28 | — | 4 | — | DNF | 14 | — | 13 | — |
| 2007 | 30 | — | 9 | — | 10 | 6 | — | 15 | — |

    a. $^1$ Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.

### World Cup

**Season titles**

* 2 titles – (1 long distance, 1 middle distance)

| Season |
| - |
| Season | Discipline |
| 1999 | Long Distance |
| 2000 | Middle Distance |

**Season standings**

| Season | Age | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Season | Age | Overall | Distance | Long Distance | Middle Distance | Sprint | Tour de Ski | World Cup Final |
| 1993 | 16 | NC | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 17 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 18 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 19 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 20 | 13 | — | 21 | — | 15 | — | — |
| 1998 | 21 | 19 | — | 15 | — | 27 | — | — |
| 1999 | 22 | 4 | — | | — | | — | — |
| 2000 | 23 | | — | | | | — | — |
| 2001 | 24 | 10 | — | — | — | 23 | — | — |
| 2002 | 25 | 4 | — | — | — | 24 | — | — |
| 2003 | 26 | | — | — | — | 41 | — | — |
| 2004 | 27 | 5 | | — | — | 47 | — | — |
| 2005 | 28 | 4 | | — | — | 70 | — | — |
| 2006 | 29 | 17 | 11 | — | — | 38 | — | — |
| 2007 | 30 | 11 | 5 | — | — | NC | DNF | — |
| 2010 | 33 | 32 | 22 | — | — | 84 | — | 6 |

**Individual podiums**

* 16 victories – (16 WC)
* 50 podiums – (49 WC, 1 SWC)

| 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 | 1998–99 | 5 January 1999 | Otepää, Estonia | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 3 | 1998–99 | 12 January 1999 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st |
| 4 | 1998–99 | 19 February 1999 | Ramsau, Austria | 15 km F Mass Start | World Championships | 2nd |
| 5 | 1998–99 | 27 February 1999 | Ramsau, Austria | 30 km C Mass Start | World Championships | 3rd |
| 6 | 1998–99 | 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 | 1999–2000 | 10 December 1999 | Sappada, Italy | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 9 | 1999–2000 | 28 December 1999 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany | 1.5 km F Sprint | World Cup | 1st |
| 10 | 1999–2000 | 8 January 2000 | Moscow, Russia | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd |
| 11 | 1999–2000 | 12 January 2000 | Nové Město, Czech Republic | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd |
| 12 | 1999–2000 | 16 February 2000 | Ulrichen, Switzerland | 5 km C Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 13 | 1999–2000 | 20 February 2000 | Lamoura Mouthe, France | 44 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd |
| 14 | 1999–2000 | 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 | 2000–01 | 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 | 2001–02 | 12 December 2001 | Brusson, Italy | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 19 | 2001–02 | 15 December 2001 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 20 | 2001–02 | 22 December 2001 | Ramsau, Austria | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st |
| 21 | 2001–02 | 2 March 2002 | Lahti, Finland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 22 | 2001–02 | 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 | 2002–03 | 30 November 2002 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 25 | 2002–03 | 7 December 2002 | Davos, Switzerland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 26 | 2002–03 | 14 December 2002 | Cogne, Italy | 10 km C Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd |
| 27 | 2002–03 | 21 December 2002 | Ramsau, Austria | 5 km + 5 km C/F Pursuit | World Cup | 3rd |
| 28 | 2002–03 | 4 January 2003 | Kavgolovo, Russia | 5 km F Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 29 | 2002–03 | 12 January 2003 | Otepää, Estonia | 15 km C Mass Start | World Cup | 2nd |
| 30 | 2002–03 | 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 | 2003–04 | 28 November 2003 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 33 | 2003–04 | 29 November 2003 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 7.5 km + 7.5 km C/F Pursuit | World Cup | 1st |
| 34 | 2003–04 | 6 December 2003 | Toblach, Italy | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st |
| 35 | 2003–04 | 20 December 2003 | Ramsau, Austria | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 36 | 2003–04 | 21 December 2003 | Ramsau, Austria | 7.5 km + 7.5 km C/F Pursuit | World Cup | 1st |
| 37 | 2003–04 | 6 January 2004 | Falun, Sweden | 7.5 km + 7.5 km C/F Pursuit | World Cup | 3rd |
| 38 | 2003–04 | 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 | 2004–05 | 26 November 2004 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 41 | 2004–05 | 28 November 2004 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 42 | 2004–05 | 11 December 2004 | Lago di Tesero, Italy | 7.5 km + 7.5 km C/F Pursuit | World Cup | 2nd |
| 43 | 2004–05 | 18 December 2004 | Ramsau, Austria | 15 km F Mass Start | World Cup | 1st |
| 44 | 2005–06 | 27 November 2005 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 10 km F Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 45 | 2005–06 | 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 | 2006–07 | 26 November 2006 | Rukatunturi, Finland | 10 km C Individual | World Cup | 3rd |
| 48 | 2006–07 | 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 | 2009–10 | 21 March 2010 | Falun, Sweden | 10 km F Pursuit | Stage World Cup | 3rd |

Note: $^1$ Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

**Overall record**

| Result | Distance Races | Distance Races | Distance Races | Distance Races | Distance Races | Distance Races | Sprint | Ski Tours | Individual Events | Team Events | Team Events | All Events |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Result | ≤ 5 km | ≤ 10 km | ≤ 15 km | ≤ 30 km | ≥ 30 km | Pursuit | Sprint | Ski Tours | Individual Events | Team Sprint | Relay | All Events |
| 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 | 46 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 110 | – | 12 | 122 |
| Points | 27 | 57 | 27 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 1 | 164 | 1 | 19 | 184 |
| Others | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | – | 9 | – | – | 9 |
| DNF | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Starts | 29 | 59 | 27 | 9 | 2 | 20 | 26 | 2 | 174 | 1 | 19 | 194 |

    a. $^1$ Classification is made according to FIS classification.
    b. $^1$ $^2$ $^3$ $^4$ $^5$ Includes individual and mass start races.
    c. $^1$ Includes pursuit and double pursuit races.
    d. $^1$ May be incomplete due to lack of appropriate sources for some relay races prior to 1995/96 World Cup season.

Note: Until 1999 World Championships and 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were part of the World Cup. Hence results from those races are included in the World Cup overall record.

