Ukaleq Slettemark

Ukaleq Slettemark
Ukaleq Slettemark in 2024
Personal information
Full nameUkaleq Astri Slettemark
NationalityGreenlandic
Born (2001-09-09) 9 September 2001
Nuuk, Greenland
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
Professional information
SportBiathlon
ClubGeilo IL
World Cup debut11 December 2020
Olympic Games
Teams2 (2022, 2026)
World Championships
Teams1 (2021)
World Cup
Seasons1 (2020-21)
Individual races3
All races3
Medal record
Women's biathlon
Representing  Greenland
Youth World Championships
Gold medal – first place2019 Brezno10 km individual
Updated on 22 February 2026

Ukaleq Astri Slettemark (born 9 September 2001) is a Greenlandic biathlete. She won gold in the 10 km Individual in the Biathlon Junior World Championships 2019, becoming Greenland's first medalist in an IBU World Championships at ny level. She competed for Denmark at the 2022 Winter Olympics and at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Career

Slettemark won a gold medal in the 10 km individual at the Biathlon Junior World Championships 2019 by 1 minute and 14 seconds over Tereza Voborníková.[1] This was Greenland's first ever medal at any level of an IBU World Championships.[2] Slettemark made her debut in the World Cup in Hochfilzen on 11 December 2020,[3] finishing 96th in the sprint.[4]

Slettemark competed at the Biathlon World Championships 2021,[5] where she finished 65th in the individual and 77th in the sprint.[6][7] She represented Denmark at the 2022 Winter Olympics, as Greenland does not have a National Olympic Committee. She became the first woman from Greenland to compete at an Olympic Games.[8][9] She finished 65th in the sprint and 53rd in the individual.[10][11]

At the Biathlon World Championships 2023, Slettemark finished 56th in the sprint and 88th in the individual.[12][13] She competed with her brother in the single mixed relay at the Biathlon World Championships 2025, and they finished 23rd out of the 29 teams.[14] She represented Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics and finished 52nd in the individual event.[15] She also competed in the sprint and finished 86th.[16]

Personal life

Slettemark is Inuit.[17] Her parents are also biathletes, her father Øystein competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics representing Denmark, her mother Uiloq participated at the 2012 World Championships.[18] Her brother Sondre made his debut in the Biathlon World Championships 2025, and they both competed at the 2026 Winter Olympics.[19]

During the 2026 Winter Olympics, Slettemark criticized Donald Trump's proposal to annex Greenland.[15][20]

Biathlon results

All results are sourced from the International Biathlon Union.

Olympic Games

Event Individual Sprint Pursuit Mass start Relay Mixed relay
China 2022 Beijing 53rd 65th — — — —
Italy 2026 Milan-Cortina 52nd 86th — — — —

World Championships

Event Individual Sprint Pursuit Mass start Relay Mixed relay Single mixed relay
Slovenia 2021 Pokljuka 65th 77th — — — — —
Germany 2023 Oberhof 88th 56th DNS — — — —
Czech Republic 2024 Nové Město 65th 77th — — — — —
Switzerland 2025 Lenzerheide 88th 72nd — — — — 23rd

Other competition

European Championships

Event Level Individual Sprint Pursuit Mixed relay Single mixed relay
Norway 2019 Sjusjøen Junior 12th 12th 19th — —

Junior/Youth World Championships

Event Level Individual Sprint Pursuit Relay
Estonia 2018 Otepää Youth 27th 10th 4th —
Slovakia 2019 Brezno Youth 1st 6th 4th —
Switzerland 2020 Lenzerheide Youth DNS — — —
Austria 2021 Obertilliach Junior 8th DNS — —

See also

References

  1. ↑ Anton Gundersen Lihn (27 January 2019). "Ukaleq Slettemark vinder VM-guld" [Ukaleq Slettemark wins World Championship gold]. knr.gl (in Danish).
  2. ↑ "Ukaleq Astri Slettemark, Greenland's most talented young athlete". International Biathlon Union. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  3. ↑ Alex Zhovtiuk (20 November 2020). "Young Ukaleq Slettemark from Greenland will begin on the IBU World Cup". focusbiathlon.com.
  4. ↑ ""I didn't know I was that fast at the range"". Madshus. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "The championship in Pokljuka reached Greenland as well". Pokljuka2021.si. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. ↑ "Results Women 15km Individual" (PDF). International Biathlon Union. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Results Women 7.5km Sprint" (PDF). International Biathlon Union. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Kingdom of Denmark to send its biggest ever Winter Olympics squad to Beijing 2022". Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Skiskydning | OL". Vinter-OL i Beijing - læs alt om den danske deltagelse (in Danish). Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "Final results sprint" (PDF). Ibu.blob.core.windows.net. 11 February 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Final results individual" (PDF). Ibu.blob.core.windows.net. 7 February 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  12. ↑ "Final results sprint" (PDF). biathlonworld.com. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Final results individual" (PDF). biathlonworld.com. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Proud to Compete for Greenland: "Especially Now"". Sweden Herald. 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  15. 1 2 Bull, Andy (11 February 2026). "'I'm happy to defend my country': meet Greenland's Olympian defying Donald Trump". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "Biathlon – Women's 7.5km Sprint – Results" (PDF). ibu.blob.core.windows.net. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  17. ↑ Stassen, Joane (6 February 2022). "Biathlete from Greenland proud to represent Inuit at her first Olympics". Canadian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Ukaleq Astri Slettemark, Greenland's most talented young athlete". biathlonworld.com. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Engelund, Karoline (5 February 2026). "Morgenpost fra Grønland: Søskendeparret Ukaleq og Sondre gik på jagt sammen som børn. Nu skal de til OL". dr.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  20. ↑ Pearson, Matt (11 February 2026). "Greenland's Olympic siblings keen to help protect homeland". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
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