## Klæbo Makes Olympic History with Record-Breaking Medal Haul
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway’s cross-country skiing sensation, has etched his name into Olympic lore, securing a record-breaking sixth gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. This incredible feat surpasses the previous record of five golds held by American speed skater Eric Heiden since the 1980 Lake Placid Games.
Klæbo dominated the grueling 50km mass start classic event, leading a Norwegian sweep of the podium. Teammates Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget and Emil Iversen claimed silver and bronze, respectively. Klæbo finished the race in an impressive two hours, six minutes, and 44.8 seconds, a full 8.9 seconds ahead of Nyenget, who secured his third medal of the Games.
“It’s been crazy, it’s a dream come true,” Klæbo shared with BBC Sport. “I really think this Olympics has been perfect. Being able to crown the Olympics with the 50km was unbelievable.”
### A Legacy of Gold
This victory extends Klæbo’s overall Olympic gold medal count to an astounding 11, making him one of the most decorated Winter Olympians of all time. He is also the first athlete to win all six cross-country events at a single Games. Only swimming legend Michael Phelps, with 23 gold medals, boasts a higher Olympic gold tally.
Klæbo’s journey to greatness began in Oslo, but his development truly flourished after moving to Trondheim, a renowned hub for cross-country skiing. His dedication and talent have resulted in an unparalleled record of 116 World Cup wins and 15 World Championship titles, including a clean sweep of all six titles at last year’s event in Trondheim.
“After the world championships last year, we knew that it was possible, but to be able to do it, it’s hard to find the right words,” Klæbo admitted to reporters. “[There were] so many emotions when I’m crossing the finish line.”
His sixth Olympic gold in Milan-Cortina adds to his earlier victories in the skiathlon, sprint classic, 10km interval start free, 4×7.5km relay, and team sprint.
### Great Britain’s Performance
Team GB also had a strong showing, with Andrew Musgrave finishing sixth in the 50km classic, nearly four minutes behind Klæbo. Musgrave, competing in his fifth Olympics, didn’t rule out a return in four years. “I’m still young and promising,” he joked to BBC Sport. Teammate Joe Davies finished 16th.
The British team celebrated their best-ever Olympic results in cross-country skiing, including a fifth-place finish in the team sprint event and Anna Pryce’s best-ever individual result for a British woman.
“We’ve had the best ever women’s Olympic result, best ever men’s Olympic result, best ever team result,” a team representative stated. “We’ve had limited resources but we can still show that we can do good results.”
[Full schedule including times of medal events](https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/67874494)
[Winter Olympics 2026 medal table](https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/medal-table)
**Further Reading:**
* [USA win men’s Olympic ice hockey gold for first time in 46 years](https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/68416414)
* [T20 World Cup: South Africa on top as India slump to 51-5](https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/68416415)
