Unni Helland

Helland after receiving the King's Medal of Merit at the 2026 Bislett Games. Unni Helland, née Fjeldseth (born 26 January 1942) is a Norwegian athletics coach and former long jumper.

Personal life She hails from Grinder. In September 1960 she married Olympic long-distance runner Thor Helland. They would both dedicate their lives to athletics coaching. Her lifetime best jump was 5.27 metres, achieved in July 1966 at Bislett stadion. She also took five national titles in relay.

Coaching career Ending her athletics career in the late 1960s, she took up coaching in IL i BUL. Serving for decades, she earned recognition for her coaching prowess as well a "motherly" demeanor, Within elite athletics, Helland has also been co-credited with the discoveries of Norway's 100 metres record holder for both men and women, Ezinne Okparaebo and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, as well as Folake Akinyemi. She was also employed by the Oslo District Association of Athletics for the last 25 years of her professional career. In 2009, the Norwegian Athletics Association named her as the national winner of the European Athletics Women's Leadership Awards. In 2024 she received another ildsjel of the year award, this time from the Norwegian Athletics Association. Still coaching at the age of 84, during the 2026 Bislett Games she was decorated with the King's Medal of Merit in silver.