Laila Schou Nilsen
Nilsen after the downhill event at the 1936 Olympics. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Norwegian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 March 1919 Vestre Aker, Kristiania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 30 July 1998 (aged 79) Oslo, Norway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1931–c. 1965 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Norway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Laila Schou Nilsen (18 March 1919 – 30 July 1998) was one of the foremost Norwegian sportspeople of the 20th century, best known as a speed skater, alpine skier, and tennis player. She was one of the pioneers in women's speed skating, both in Norway and internationally, along with two other skaters from the Oslo Skøiteklub ('Oslo Skating Club'), Undis Blikken and Synnøve Lie. Across her sporting career – which also included handball, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and motorsport – Nilsen won 101 Norwegian Championship titles, of which 86 were in tennis.