Other 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.