Under freezing skies at the demanding cross-country trails of Milano Cortina 2026, Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo delivered a masterclass in grit on February 13, 2026. In the men’s 10km individual freestyle (interval start), the 29-year-old Norwegian stormed to victory with a finishing time of 20:36.2. He held off a charging Mathis Desloges of France (silver, 20:41.1) by just 4.9 seconds, while teammate Einar Hedegart rounded out the podium with bronze (20:50.2).
This wasn’t just another win—it was historic. Klæbo’s eighth Olympic gold medal ties him with Norway’s all-time greats: cross-country icons Marit Bjørgen and Bjørn Dæhlie, plus biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen. All four now share the record for the most Winter Olympic golds ever won by any athlete. For a country that dominates Nordic skiing, this moment cements Klæbo as one of the greatest in the sport’s long history.
A Career Built on Relentless Dominance
Klæbo’s Olympic journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. He burst onto the scene at PyeongChang 2018, claiming three golds in sprint, team sprint, and 4x10km relay. Beijing 2022 added two more (sprint and relay), and now Milano Cortina has already delivered three: the 20km skiathlon, individual sprint, and this breakthrough 10km freestyle—his first victory in this specific staggered-start format.
After crossing the line, visibly drained, Klæbo admitted the toll: “Today was one of the toughest races we’ve ever been in… everyone was completely exhausted by the finish line. For me, today was really difficult. I tried to start in a controlled manner, but in the end, it was very tough.” Yet that controlled aggression turned into pure dominance, proving once again why he’s often called untouchable in high-pressure moments.
The Pressure of Legacy—and What’s Next
At just 29, Klæbo isn’t slowing down. With three more events still on his schedule in these Games, the door is wide open for him to break the eight-gold record outright and stand alone as the most successful Winter Olympian of all time. Norwegian fans, media, and even Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre have hailed him as “virtually unbeatable,” but the mental and physical demands of chasing history are immense.
This victory resonates far beyond Norway. It inspires young athletes everywhere to dream big in a sport that rewards endurance, strategy, and unbreakable will. Klæbo’s story is one of turning pressure into performance, exhaustion into triumph, and legacy into legend.
As the Milano Cortina 2026 Games heat up, all eyes are on the Norwegian king. Will he rewrite the record books forever? The trails are calling—and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is answering.