Norway’s cross-country skiing superstar Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo cemented his place in Olympic history by winning six gold medals at a single Winter Games, a record-breaking achievement.
Klaebo led a Norwegian sweep of the podium in the 50km mass start classic, finishing in two hours, six minutes, and 44.8 seconds—8.9 seconds ahead of teammate Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, who claimed his third medal of the Games. Emil Iversen completed the sweep with bronze.
“It’s been incredible—a dream come true,” Klaebo said. “Crowning these Games with the 50km was unbelievable.”
By taking his sixth gold, Klaebo surpassed the previous single-Games record of five held by American speed skater Eric Heiden at Lake Placid in 1980. He now holds a total of 11 Winter Olympic golds and becomes the first athlete to win all six cross-country events at one Olympics. Only swimming legend Michael Phelps has more Olympic golds overall, with 23.
Born in Oslo and raised in Trondheim—a city renowned for cross-country skiing trails—Klaebo has dominated the sport with 116 World Cup wins and 15 world championship titles, including winning all six events at last year’s World Championships on home snow.
Earlier in the Milan-Cortina Games, Klaebo had already claimed gold in the skiathlon, sprint classic, 10km interval start free, 4×7.5km relay, and team sprint.
Meanwhile, Great Britain’s cross-country team also achieved historic results. Andrew Musgrave finished sixth in the 50km, nearly four minutes behind Klaebo, while teammate Joe Davies placed 16th. Musgrave, competing in his fifth Olympics at age 35, hinted he may aim for a sixth Games in 2030.
“This was a solid performance,” Musgrave said. “The Norwegians are just so dominant, but I’m proud of how we’ve progressed.”
The Games marked a milestone for British skiing: Musgrave and James Clugnet recorded a fifth-place finish in the team sprint, the nation’s best Olympic result in the sport. Anna Pryce achieved the best-ever British women’s Olympic result by finishing 32nd in the sprint classic.
Coach and team leaders praised the British squad’s progress: “We’ve had record results for men, women, and the team overall,” they said. “The athletes are young and improving, and we’re building a strong foundation for future Games.”
