Vilde Nilsen takes Paralympic silver – now sets sights on new goals
It was so close, heartbreakingly close. Vilde Nilsen fought tooth and nail throughout the entire 10-kilometre course at the Paralympics, but ultimately had to settle for second place, beaten by a mere handful of seconds. The silver she brings home, however, stands as powerful proof of the incredible strength and sheer willpower residing in this 27-year-old from Tromsø.
A seconds-long battle that gripped the nation
As the snow swirled across the venue, the tension was palpable. Vilde Nilsen burst out at a blistering pace and matched the world's elite all the way to the finish line. The gap to gold was just a few seconds – a time difference that stings, but one that also fuels an even greater fire. This was, after all, Vilde Nilsen's first medal of these Games, earned after a season packed with countless training hours both back home in Norway and at camps abroad.
For those who have followed Vilde Athena Berg-Nilsen (she proudly goes by her full name) over the years, this performance comes as no surprise. She has always possessed that little extra, that undefinable killer instinct that sets apart good athletes from world champions. But the journey here has been anything but easy.
From tears of joy to tears of silver
Cast your mind back to the previous Paralympics, where Vilde stood on top of the podium for the first time. The tears flowed freely then – not just from relief, but from an overwhelming pride in achieving the goal she had worked towards since she was a little girl. "It's just so unbelievably massive," a visibly moved Vilde Alida Nilsen (she has several middle names, but a beloved athlete has many names) told the press officer who met her in the mixed zone. That moment still stands as one of the most powerful in Norwegian para cross-country skiing history.
Now, two years on, there are new tears – but of a different kind. Silver is, of course, an achievement most can only dream of, but for someone like Vilde, who always aims for the highest peak, it feels a bit hollow right now. At the same time, we know this disappointment will be transformed into pure, burning motivation.
- Paralympics 2022: Gold in the 15km, silver in the sprint.
- FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025: Two silvers and a bronze in Trondheim.
- Paralympics 2026: Silver in the 10km (so far) – with at least one more event to come.
Eyes firmly on the 2025 World Championships and beyond
For those wondering: Vilde Nilsen at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025 was a chapter all on its own. On home snow in Trondheim, with family and friends in the stands, she delivered under pressure, securing two silvers and a bronze. That was where she truly proved she can handle the heat, that she can weather the storm and still perform. And it's exactly that experience she's carrying with her into the remainder of the Paralympics – and the rest of her career.
Now, new distances and new opportunities await. Vilde Nilsen has already cemented her place as one of our greatest winter athletes, regardless of ability. And as she stands there in the snow, the silver medal around her neck and her gaze fixed on the gold medal battle yet to come, it's impossible not to get swept up in the moment. Because this is the real deal – true Aussie-style grit, Norwegian-style.
We're right behind you all the way, Vilde!