# Embla Matilde Njerve
**Embla Matilde Njerve** (born 2007) is a Norwegian pole vaulter from Bergen who competes for Bergens TF and won the silver medal in the pole vault at the 2024 European Athletics U18 Championships.[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459) • [2](https://www.friidrett.no/nyheter/2024/alt-du-trenger-a-vite-om-european-athletics-u18-championships-i-banska-bystrica/) Her personal best of 4.30 m, set on 30 August 2024, stands as a Norwegian U20 record and a Norwegian U18 record.[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2007, Norway[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459) |
| Club | Bergens TF (Bergens Turnforening), active 2022–2026[3](https://liveres4.andro.no/utover/14033?fra=347) |
| Pole vault personal best | 4.30 m, 30 August 2024, Norwegian U20 and U18 records[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459) |
| Major medal | Silver, pole vault, 2024 European Athletics U18 Championships, Banska Bystrica, with 4.15 m[2](https://www.friidrett.no/nyheter/2024/alt-du-trenger-a-vite-om-european-athletics-u18-championships-i-banska-bystrica/) |
| National titles | Norwegian indoor champion in pole vault, 2024[4](https://urbanpioneers.no/no-no/blogs/news/pioneer-of-the-season) |
| Indoor U20 record | 4.28 m, Göteborg, 25 January 2025[5](https://www.friidrett.no/siteassets/kretser/hordaland/organisasjon/kretstinget/kretstinget-2026/beretning-res-25.pdf) |
| Other events | Long jump personal best 5.15 m (13 August 2022)[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459) |
## Early career and progression
Njerve has trained in pole vault since she was ten years old.[6](https://www.bt.no/sport/i/ln4Gbo/stavhopp-embla-njerve-har-ikke-konkurrert-paa-lang-tid-lengre-tid-enn-forventet) Her competition record with Bergens TF shows a steady climb through the age groups: 3.30 m in 2022, 3.85 m in 2023, and 4.00 m in 2024, before the 4.30 m breakthrough that August.[3](https://liveres4.andro.no/utover/14033?fra=347) She also competed in the long jump and triple jump as a junior, with bests of 5.15 m and 10.97 m respectively, both from 2022.[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459) • [3](https://liveres4.andro.no/utover/14033?fra=347)
Her first international championship came at the 2023 European Youth Olympic Festival in [Maribor](https://www.edgepedia.org/maribor), Slovenia, where she cleared 3.70 m in the qualification round of the girls' U18 pole vault.[7](https://slovenska-atletika.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230729-EYOF6P-1.pdf) In June 2023 she won the women's U17 pole vault at the Veidekkelekene in [Lillehammer](https://www.edgepedia.org/lillehammer) with 3.85 m.[8](https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7198194?eventId=10229527)
## 2024: U18 silver and national titles
**The 2024 season was her breakthrough year.** At the European Athletics U18 Championships in [Banska Bystrica](https://www.edgepedia.org/banska-bystrica), Slovakia, she took the silver medal with 4.15 m, a Norwegian U18 record. She cleared 3.80 m and 4.00 m on her first attempts, needed three attempts at 4.10 m, and cleared 4.15 m on her first attempt before missing three times at 4.20 m; the Greek vaulter Boumpoulidi was the only athlete over that height and won the gold.[2](https://www.friidrett.no/nyheter/2024/alt-du-trenger-a-vite-om-european-athletics-u18-championships-i-banska-bystrica/) Her silver was one of three Norwegian medals at the championships, alongside Astrid Cecilie Berntsen's gold in the 2000 m steeplechase and Wilma Bekkemoen Torbiörnsson's bronze in the 1500 m.[2](https://www.friidrett.no/nyheter/2024/alt-du-trenger-a-vite-om-european-athletics-u18-championships-i-banska-bystrica/)
Earlier that year she became Norwegian indoor champion in the pole vault.[4](https://urbanpioneers.no/no-no/blogs/news/pioneer-of-the-season) Outdoors she won the Gjensidige UM (junior national championships) at Bislett, Oslo on 30 August 2024 with 4.30 m, the mark that set her Norwegian U20 and U18 records.[1](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459) • [3](https://liveres4.andro.no/utover/14033?fra=347) At the senior Norwegian Championships that year she finished second with 3.91 m.[9](https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/nm2024.pdf) By 23 July 2024 she was ranked 194th in the [World Athletics](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-athletics) women's pole vault world rankings, with 1015 ranking points.[10](https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/pole-vault/women?limitByCountry=0&page=2&rankDate=2024-07-23®ionType=world)
## Illness and comeback
In February 2025 Njerve set a Norwegian junior indoor record in the pole vault at an early-season meet, but shortly afterward her health collapsed. What first seemed like a common cold was diagnosed months later as mononucleosis (in Norwegian, kyssesyke), and the illness developed into a long period of persistent stress and exhaustion. She went from full training and competition to struggling to get through school, and did not compete for more than a year.[11](https://www.vg.no/sport/i/gkz3dL/embla-njerve-gjoer-comeback-etter-mer-enn-ett-aar-jeg-mediterte-meg-frisk) • [6](https://www.bt.no/sport/i/ln4Gbo/stavhopp-embla-njerve-har-ikke-konkurrert-paa-lang-tid-lengre-tid-enn-forventet) Her indoor results before the illness included 4.28 m in Göteborg on 25 January 2025, a Norwegian U20 indoor record, and a third place at the Norwegian Indoor Championships in Lillehammer with 4.05 m.[5](https://www.friidrett.no/siteassets/kretser/hordaland/organisasjon/kretstinget/kretstinget-2026/beretning-res-25.pdf) • [3](https://liveres4.andro.no/utover/14033?fra=347)
She has said that meditation became the turning point in her recovery, and she returned to competition at the Norwegian Championships in [Trondheim](https://www.edgepedia.org/trondheim) on 23 July 2026, finishing fourth in the pole vault final with a season best of 3.84 m.[11](https://www.vg.no/sport/i/gkz3dL/embla-njerve-gjoer-comeback-etter-mer-enn-ett-aar-jeg-mediterte-meg-frisk) • [12](https://www.sportsidioten.no/lop/dag-1-nm-friidrett-2026/) She then planned to travel to the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, United States, in August 2026.[11](https://www.vg.no/sport/i/gkz3dL/embla-njerve-gjoer-comeback-etter-mer-enn-ett-aar-jeg-mediterte-meg-frisk) Her long-term goal is the 2028 Olympic Games.[6](https://www.bt.no/sport/i/ln4Gbo/stavhopp-embla-njerve-har-ikke-konkurrert-paa-lang-tid-lengre-tid-enn-forventet)
## Public attention and family
A video of Njerve at the 2024 U18 European Championships spread widely on social media, and during Paris fashion week she was invited by the design house [Balenciaga](https://www.edgepedia.org/balenciaga) to attend its show. She has described the experience as evidence that she can be well outside of sport, while saying that athletics remains what she likes best.[6](https://www.bt.no/sport/i/ln4Gbo/stavhopp-embla-njerve-har-ikke-konkurrert-paa-lang-tid-lengre-tid-enn-forventet) Her father, Sigurd Njerve, has also represented Norway as an Olympic athlete.[4](https://urbanpioneers.no/no-no/blogs/news/pioneer-of-the-season) Her coach, Eirik Dolve, has called her one of the largest pole vault talents in the world.[6](https://www.bt.no/sport/i/ln4Gbo/stavhopp-embla-njerve-har-ikke-konkurrert-paa-lang-tid-lengre-tid-enn-forventet)
## References
1. [Embla Matilde NJERVE, Profile, World Athletics](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/norway/embla-matilde-njerve-14875459)
2. [Tre norske medaljer under europamesterskapet U18, Norges Friidrettsforbund](https://www.friidrett.no/nyheter/2024/alt-du-trenger-a-vite-om-european-athletics-u18-championships-i-banska-bystrica/)
3. [Frisys Live, Embla Matilde Njerve](https://liveres4.andro.no/utover/14033?fra=347)
4. [Embla Matilde Njerve, Pioneer of the Season, Urban Pioneers](https://urbanpioneers.no/no-no/blogs/news/pioneer-of-the-season)
5. [Godkjente innendørs bestenoteringer i 2025, Norges Friidrettsforbund, Hordaland kretstinget beretning](https://www.friidrett.no/siteassets/kretser/hordaland/organisasjon/kretstinget/kretstinget-2026/beretning-res-25.pdf)
6. [Idretten er satt på vent: En stor kontrast, Bergens Tidende](https://www.bt.no/sport/i/ln4Gbo/stavhopp-embla-njerve-har-ikke-konkurrert-paa-lang-tid-lengre-tid-enn-forventet)
7. [17. European Youth Olympic Festival, Maribor 2023, girls U18 pole vault results](https://slovenska-atletika.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230729-EYOF6P-1.pdf)
8. [Veidekkelekene 2023 results, World Athletics](https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7198194?eventId=10229527)
9. [Hoved-NM 2024 results, Norwegian Athletics Championships](https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/nm2024.pdf)
10. [World Rankings, Women's Pole Vault, 23 July 2024, World Athletics](https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/pole-vault/women?limitByCountry=0&page=2&rankDate=2024-07-23®ionType=world)
11. [Stavhopperen gjør comeback: Jeg mediterte meg frisk, VG](https://www.vg.no/sport/i/gkz3dL/embla-njerve-gjoer-comeback-etter-mer-enn-ett-aar-jeg-mediterte-meg-frisk)
12. [Program og resultater dag 1, NM Friidrett 2026, Sportsidioten](https://www.sportsidioten.no/lop/dag-1-nm-friidrett-2026/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Athletics, gymnastics, and strength sports › Athletes of track and field and road running › Jumpers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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