TESERO, Italy — Johannes Klaebo led a Norwegian podium sweep in the men’s 50km classic cross-country race on Saturday to claim his sixth gold of the Milan Cortina Games and break the record for most titles in a single Winter Olympics.
Victory on Saturday for “King Klaebo,” as fans call him, breaks U.S. speed skater Eric Heiden’s record five gold medals from the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. It was the 11th career gold for the 29-year-old, giving him the most Olympic golds behind U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, who has 23.
“It’s unbelievable. After (winning) the World Champs last year, we knew that it was possible, but to be able to do it, it’s hard to find the right words,” Klaebo said after the race.
Klaebo, 29, was part of a trio of Norwegian skiers that broke away from the pack early in the race as Martin Loewstroem Nyenget pushed the pace and seemed poised to challenge for gold.
Klaebo tore away, however, on the final climb of the competition, charging up the same hill where he has stranded competitors for other races in these Games.
“There are choices to make and we’ve made all the right choices this year. Mentally, I’ve been in a better place than I was last year and I have a lot of fun racing out there now,” he said.
Nyenget won silver, finishing 8.9 seconds behind Klaebo, and the bronze went to Emil Iversen, who held with his teammates for much of the race but ended 30.7 seconds behind the lead.
“It’s unreal what we have done today. We got away from everybody else, and we were the three strongest skiers in the world. I am one of those three,” Iversen said.
Fourth-place finisher Theo Schely of France crossed the finish nearly three minutes behind Klaebo.
Ben Ogden of the United States did not race due to illnesses.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
