Ben Ogden marked a significant achievement in Olympic history by securing a silver medal in the sprint event at the Tezero Cross-Country Ski Arena in Largo, Italy. This win ended a 50-year drought for American men in cross-country skiing.
During the medal ceremony, in a moment of celebration, Ogden performed a backflip before stepping off the podium to honor his achievement.
This backflip wasn’t just a spontaneous act; it’s part of a long-held personal tradition for the 25-year-old athlete. “Back in high school, I would do backflips off the podium. I promised myself that if I ever made it to the Olympic podium, I would definitely do it,” Ogden explained after the race. “It felt a bit fancy at the time, but sometimes you’ve got to honor your younger self, and I’ve done just that.”
The last American man to earn an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing was Bill Koch, who won silver in 1976. Interestingly, Ogden has a personal connection to Koch, as they both hail from Vermont. Ogden’s mother, Andrea, revealed, “Ben used to train in Bill Koch’s backyard. This is all just surreal.”
Ogden finished with a time of 3 minutes, 40.61 seconds, closely trailing Norway’s Johannes Hesfrod Kraevo, who clocked in at 3 minutes, 39.74 seconds. Fellow Norwegian Oskar Opstad Wike secured bronze shortly after with a time of 3:46.55.
Ogden expressed his disbelief at reaching this milestone, stating, “It’s truly a dream come true. Competing in this race means everything, and standing on the Olympic podium is the ultimate goal. Last year, I dared to dream about it, and here I am.”
2026 Winter Olympics
Kraevo is currently gunning for victories across all men’s cross-country skiing events at the Milan-Cortina Games, being just one gold medal shy of the Winter Olympic record held by three athletes. Ogden noted, “Sure, he’s won a lot, but that doesn’t mean we can’t challenge him. I gave it my all today, but he outperformed me. Who knows? Next time, I might be the one on top.”
Ogden’s success stands out for the U.S. men’s cross-country skiing team, which has faced challenges compared to other nations. On the other hand, the women’s team boasts remarkable talents like Jesse Diggins and Kikkan Randall, who have been pivotal in leading the team to its first gold medal in 2018.
With Ogden at the forefront, a new wave of American male cross-country skiers is emerging, including J.C. Schoonmacher and Gus Schumacher, who finished eighth and 31st, respectively, in the same event.
