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.