Espen Berg-Knutsen
{{short description|Norwegian sports shooter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor = lightblue
| name = Espen Berg-Knutsen
| image = Espen Berg-Knutsen.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
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| birth_name =
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| nationality = {{NOR}}
| residence =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|10|2|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Oslo, Norway
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| height = {{height|m=1.86|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}
| website =
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| sport = Shooting
| event = 10 m air rifle (AR40)
50 m rifle prone (FR60PR)
50 m rifle 3 positions (STR3X20)
| collegeteam =
| club = Nordstrand SSK
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| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's shooting}}
{{MedalCountry|{{NOR}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|1998 Zaragoza|300STR3X20}}
{{MedalGold|2006 Zagreb|300FR3X40}}
{{MedalBronze|2002 Lahti|FR60PR}}
| show-medals = yes
}}
Espen Berg-Knutsen (born 2 October 1969 in Oslo) is a Norwegian sport shooter.{{cite sports-reference|title = Espen Berg-Knutsen|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/espen-berg-knutsen-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418030010/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/espen-berg-knutsen-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 28 December 2012}} He is also a three-time Olympian, two-time World champion, and world-record holder for the 300 m rifle three positions.
Shooting career
Since his sporting career began in 1982, Berg-Knutsen is considered one of Norway's most prominent sport shooters, having achieved numerous successes in rifle shooting events at the ISSF World Championships, ISSF World Cup, and European Championships. He had also won a total of three medals at the ISSF World Championships, including two golds (1998 in Zaragoza, Spain, and 2006 in Zagreb, Croatia). One of the highlights of his career occurred at the 2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships, when he set a new world record of 1,181 points in the 300 m rifle three positions.{{cite news|last=Solheim|first=Rolleiv|title=Rifle shooting: World record, gold and silver for Norway|url=http://www.norwaypost.no/index.php/sport/7-other-sports/15603|publisher=Norway Post|accessdate=28 December 2012}} Berg-Knutsen also competed for all rifle shooting events at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, and 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, but he neither reached the final round, nor claimed an Olympic medal.
Eight years after competing in his first Olympics, Berg-Knutsen qualified for his third Norwegian team as a 39-year-old at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by winning the gold medal for the rifle three positions from the World Championships. Unlike his previous Olympic games, he competed only for two rifle shooting events, 50 m rifle prone (FR60PR) and 50 m rifle 3 positions (STR3X20).
In his first event, 50 m rifle prone, Berg-Knutsen was able to hit a total of 594 points within six attempts, finishing eleventh in the qualifying rounds.{{cite web|title=Men's 50m Rifle Prone Qualification |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/shooting/resultsandschedules/rsc=SHM103901/index.html |publisher=NBC Olympics |accessdate=28 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816052443/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/shooting/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DSHM103901/index.html |archivedate=16 August 2012 }} Few days later, Berg-Knutsen competed for the 50 m rifle 3 positions, where he was able to shoot 396 targets in a prone position, 374 in standing, and 390 in kneeling, for a total score of 1,160 points, finishing abruptly in thirtieth place.{{cite web|title=Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Qualification |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/shooting/resultsandschedules/rsc=SHM104901/index.html |publisher=NBC Olympics |accessdate=28 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816052404/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/shooting/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DSHM104901/index.html |archivedate=16 August 2012 }}
Olympic results
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Event !2000 !2004 !2008 |
| align=left|50 metre rifle three positions
|12th |22nd |30th |
| align=left|50 metre rifle prone
|19th |16th |11th |
| align=left|10 metre air rifle
|34th |41st |— |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.issf-sports.org/shooters/shooter.ashx?personissfid=SHNORM0210196901 ISSF Profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120816115815/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete%3D62909/bio/index.html NBC Olympics Profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berg-Knutsen, Espen}}
Category:Norwegian male sport shooters
Category:Olympic shooters for Norway
Category:Shooters at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Category:Shooters at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Category:Shooters at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Category:World record holders in shooting