Norway’s cross-country skiing superstar Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo etched his name into Olympic history on Saturday, clinching his sixth gold medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The 29-year-old dominated the men’s 50km mass start classic, completing a perfect sweep of all six cross-country events he entered and becoming the first athlete ever to claim six golds in one Winter Games.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo’s special milestone
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo’s triumph in the 50km race shattered the previous record of five golds, set by American speed skater Eric Heiden at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. While Heiden’s victories were all individual, two of Klaebo’s came in team events, leaving Heiden’s individual record intact. Still, Klaebo’s feat stands as unmatched in Winter Olympic history.
Dominant Norwegian podium sweep
The race unfolded with Norway asserting early control. Klaebo, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, and Emil Iversen surged ahead, building a commanding lead over the field. In the final lap, Nyenget and Klaebo powered uphill, dropping Iversen. Klaebo bided his time in second before unleashing his signature explosive charge on the last climb.
As the duo hit the final hill, Klaebo pulled away decisively. Gliding to the finish, he raised his fingers skyward, crossed the line, then tumbled onto his hip and rolled onto his back in sheer exhaustion and joy. Nyenget secured silver, 17.5 seconds back, while Iversen took bronze, ensuring a historic Norwegian podium sweep, the first in the event in over a century.
France’s Theo Schely finished fourth, nearly three minutes behind, with Russian neutral athlete Savelii Korostelev in fifth. Top U.S. finisher Gus Schumacher placed 13th.
Who is Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo?
Born in Trondheim in 1996, Johannes Høsflot Klaebo burst onto the international scene as a sprint specialist before evolving into a versatile all-rounder capable of winning over any distance. Known for his explosive uphill surges and tactical brilliance, he has redefined modern cross-country skiing. Klaebo now holds 11 career Winter Olympic golds across three Games, more than any other Winter Olympian in history, and ranks second overall in total Olympic golds behind only Michael Phelps (23).
Emotional win
Overwhelmed at the line, Klaebo reflected on the moment.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It still feels really good to race, and I’m always looking forward to going out there and fighting for the medal.” He repeated his world championship sweep from Trondheim last year, proving his mastery across distances and formats.
Teammate Nyenget marveled at the champion’s finishing kick. “I’m starting to believe maybe he is a machine,” Nyenget said. “It’s close to impossible to beat him in the finish.”
Norway’s record-breaking games
Klaebo’s win delivered Norway’s 18th gold, extending their record for most by a nation at a single Winter Olympics. It also pushed their total medal tally to 40, widening their lead. Norway set the gold benchmark on Friday when biathlete Johannes Dale-Skjevdal triumphed in the 15km mass start.
