Olaf Tufte: key obituary facts
Is Olaf Tufte dead? Yes. Olaf Tufte died on July 21, 2026, at age 50.
Cause of death: Olaf Tufte's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Olaf Tufte known for?
He was a Norwegian rower.
More about Olaf Tufte
Born: 27 April 1976.
Place of birth: Tønsberg.
Place of death: Rikshospitalet.
Gender: male.
Occupation: rower, farmer.
Nationality: Norway.
Awards: Aftenposten Gold Medal, Fearnley award, Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year, Thomas Keller Medal.
Also known as: Olaf Karl Tufte.
Olaf Tufte, the Norwegian rower and Olympic champion, died on July 21, 2026, at the age of 50.
Born Olaf Karl Tufte in Tønsberg on April 27, 1976, he became one of Norway’s most enduring athletes, combining elite rowing with work as a firefighter and farmer. A specialist in single sculls, he won Olympic gold twice and world championship gold twice, and he was selected for the Norwegian senior national rowing squad from 1996 onward.
Tufte made seven Olympic appearances, including the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he competed in the men’s quadruple sculls. He died at Rikshospitalet in Oslo.