'All Norwegians are born with skis on their feet,' Norwegian reporter explains her country's dominance at the Olympics

NPR | By Emily Kwong,

Daniel Ofman, Sarah Robbins

Published February 21, 2026 at 5:16 PM EST

At this year's Winter Olympics, one country has dominated: Norway. Sara Sivertsen Fahrendorff, a sports journalist based in Oslo, discusses how Norway's culture plays a role in its sporting success.

Emily Kwong

Emily Kwong (she/her) is the reporter for NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. The podcast explores new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, Monday through Friday.

See stories by Emily Kwong

Daniel Ofman

Sarah Robbins

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