Jarl Magnus Riiber, a prominent figure in Nordic combined events, has announced his retirement from professional sports. The 27-year-old Norwegian athlete, celebrated for securing five overall World Cup championships and an unparalleled 76 World Cup victories, revealed his decision to step back from competition in March of the upcoming year.
Recently, Riiber was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which he disclosed last month. The condition has caused considerable inflammation and discomfort, impacting his overall health. Coupled with past injuries, including significant issues with his shoulders, knees, and ankles, he indicated that these factors contributed heavily to his decision to retire. “It’s not solely the disease that influenced my choice,” he explained. “It’s the entirety of the circumstances.”
His retirement signals a shift away from the demanding world of Nordic combined, a sport that blends ski jumping with cross-country skiing. Riiber looks forward to dedicating more time to his family, including his partner, Sunna Margret Tryggvadóttir, and their young children.
“I no longer find joy in the sport, even with successful results,” he stated. “The sport dominates my daily life and has turned my aspirations into a form of captivity.”
This week, Riiber is participating in a competition in Seefeld, Austria, where he achieved his first World Cup victory at the age of 17—a decade ago, marking the beginning of his illustrious career.
In the previous season, Riiber showcased his dominance by winning 16 out of 19 events, never finishing lower than second place, thus securing his fifth overall title by a significant margin.
His fellow Norwegian athlete, Jorgen Graabak, a two-time Olympic individual champion, praised Riiber’s influence on the sport, stating, “He hasn’t just been a dominant force; he has redefined what it means to excel in the combined events, elevating the discipline to new levels.”
As he competes this week, Riiber holds the lead in the current World Cup standings, surpassing German competitors Vinzenz Geiger and Julian Schmidt. With aspirations for a record-breaking sixth overall title—something he shares with German legend Eric Frenzel—Riiber is poised for yet another achievement before concluding his career.
However, his retirement comes less than a year shy of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, where he will not have the opportunity to pursue an Olympic gold medal. Riiber headed into the 2022 Beijing Olympics as a medal favorite but faced a devastating turn of events. After testing positive for COVID-19, he spent nearly two weeks in isolation, which left him with limited preparation ahead of the final Nordic combined event. Unfamiliar with the cross-country course, he made a critical error that led to a disappointing eighth-place finish.
In the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, he narrowly missed a spot on the podium, finishing fourth in both individual events but earned a silver in the team competition.
Reflecting on his Olympic journey, Riiber remarked, “My Olympic experience has not unfolded as I anticipated, but it will not serve as the defining aspect of my career.” Recalling his childhood aspirations of emulating Eric Frenzel and achieving greatness, he concluded, “I have fulfilled my dream.”
