Johannes Høsflot Klæbo wins ninth Olympic gold as Norway captures men's cross‑country relay
Tesero, Italy — Sunday, Feb. 16 (ET) — A wave to the crowd, a relaxed glide to the line and a place in the record books: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo anchored Norway to gold in the men's 4 x 7. 5‑kilometer relay, earning his ninth Winter Olympic gold and becoming the most decorated Winter Games athlete in history.
Historic milestone for Klæbo and Norwegian skiing
The 29‑year‑old tied and then surpassed a storied list of Norwegian greats, taking sole possession of the all‑time Winter Olympic gold mark. Klæbo finished the relay with a commanding performance that extended Norway's lead and sealed the victory in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 24. 5 seconds. "I like the sound of that! It's a pretty nice title, " he said after the race, before stressing the team element: "But it's special to do this together with this group. In Norway, winning the relay is what really matters — and today we all delivered. "
Klæbo's ninth gold marks a new chapter in Winter Olympic history and cements his standing among the sport's legends. He claimed his fourth gold of these Games as he completed a dominant Milan‑Cortina program for Norway.
Relay dynamics, teammates and the finish
Norway's quartet — Emil Iversen, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Einar Hedegart and Klæbo — built the race on depth, with earlier legs establishing a buffer that Klæbo was able to widen on the anchor. Norway handed off to Klæbo with roughly a 12. 2‑second lead and he stretched that advantage to 22. 2 seconds by the finish, cruising the final meters and even slowing to wave to a jubilant crowd.
France took silver, finishing 22. 2 seconds behind, while Italy delighted the home fans with bronze, crossing 47. 9 seconds back. Federico Pellegrino, racing in what he said is his final season, produced a gutsy finish for the hosts and celebrated with supporters on the course after securing Italy's first cross‑country podium of the Games. "This is something I was dreaming of for a long time, " Pellegrino said, calling the medal one of the proudest moments of his career.
Atmosphere, rivals and ripple effects
Skies cleared for the contest and the stands turned into a festive scene where fans from rival nations mingled. Norway's prime minister was among those on their feet as Klæbo crossed, celebrating what he called a team effort that crowned Klæbo the Winter Olympian of all time. Supporters praised Klæbo's calm under pressure; one Norwegian fan described him as "probably the best cross‑country skier of all time. "
Not every nation found the same success: the United States slipped to sixth, behind Finland and Canada, while Sweden suffered a disappointing 10th‑place finish in the men’s relay after earlier troubles in the women's event. Still, the host nation and other podium teams ensured dramatic competition across the final laps.
With team sprint and the 50k still to come, Klæbo will carry momentum and heightened expectations. If he triumphs in those remaining events, he would complete an unprecedented sweep of all men's cross‑country events at these Games, further extending a legacy that is already reshaping the sport.
