Johannes Klaebo’s Dominance at the 2026 Winter Games

It’s quite clear who stood out as the top athlete at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games.

On Wednesday, Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Hesfrod Klaebo secured his 10th gold medal by helping his team win the men’s cross-country team sprint. He finished the race in a notable 18 minutes, 28.98 seconds, beating the U.S. team by 1.37 seconds.

This win made Klaebo the second Olympian ever to achieve at least 10 gold medals, placing him alongside the legendary Michael Phelps, who boasts 23 golds from his Olympic career.

People often refer to Phelps as an Olympic legend due to his exceptional achievements in swimming, especially his eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Klaebo’s legacy, much like Phelps’, is characterized by remarkable Olympic prowess.

“We’re really happy about this victory,” Klaebo remarked. “Team sprints are not only exciting, but they’re also quite challenging.”

Looking ahead, he is set to compete in the 50km mass start event on Sunday, hoping to add to his impressive tally. Achieving another gold would link him with iconic figures like Phelps, Mark Spitz, Christine Otto, and Vitaly Scherbo, all of whom have won at least six gold medals at a single Olympic event.

This latest win marked Klaebo’s fifth gold medal in Milan, following a dominant performance in last week’s men’s cross-country events.

He triumphed in every race he entered, including the men’s 10k free, 10k skiathlon, sprint classic, team sprint free, and 7.5k relay.

Standout moments included him breaking the Winter Olympic record during the 7.5km relay and making waves after clinching gold in the men’s sprint classic final held on February 10.

Highlights from the 2026 Winter Olympics

During one of the race’s most significant climbs—a challenging 240-meter ascent—Klaebo outperformed everyone else on the course.

As he pushed uphill, he reached an impressive speed of 18.4 mph, maintaining a pace of 5:16 per mile.

By the time he reached the race’s peak, it was pretty much clear he would win, and he savored the moment crossing the finish line amidst a cheering crowd.

He clocked in at 3 minutes, 39.74 seconds, while American Ben Ogden made a strong effort to close the gap, finishing just 0.87 seconds behind for the silver medal.

“There are so many fast skiers and strong teams, so races can get really tight,” Klaebo reflected. “That makes winning even more satisfying.”