Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo entered the 2026 Winter Olympics with five gold medals and a chance to become the most decorated cross-country skier in Olympic history.
The 29-year-old opened his Games with a victory in the men’s skiathlon on Sunday, putting him one step closer to surpassing Norwegian legend Marit Bjoergen’s all-time record of eight Olympic golds in the discipline.
Klaebo won Sunday’s race in 46 minutes and 11 seconds, holding off France’s Mathis Desloges (46:13) by two seconds and fellow Norwegian Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (46:13.1) by 2.1 seconds.
The win marked Klaebo’s sixth Olympic gold, and his first ever in the skiathlon event. Klaebo finished 40th when he participated in it back in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
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Sunday's race was dominated by the Norwegian team, which placed six skiers in the top six, with Klaebo surging ahead in the classic section and controlling the pace heading into the freestyle portion.
In the final stretch, he pulled away from Desloges with a burst in the last seconds, showcasing his closing speed by putting together the best overall times in three of the last four sectors.
Before the Games, Klaebo said he was focused on competing at his best without setting a medal target, noting that he's taking a different approach to the 2026 Olympics compared to his self-imposed isolation ahead of the 2025 World Championships.
“The goal is obviously to be fighting up there in every event,” Klaebo said. “Last year, [isolating himself] was something that helped me. I felt that I had a real focus and did everything I could, but then I also know how much that costs. This year, I've had [teammate Emil Iversen] with me, and I've felt that it's been very positive. I've felt that we've been able to lower our shoulders and have a bit of fun, I think that's important.”
Klaebo’s victory in the skiathlon comes just one year after he swept all six events at the FIS World Championships in Trondheim, Norway. His current career resume includes six Olympic golds, 15 world titles and more than 100 World Cup wins.
If Johannes, known within the sport as "King Klaebo," wins two more gold medals during the Games, he would pass Bjoergen’s record for the most Olympic cross-country titles ever.
Klaebo would also surpass biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and skiier Bjoern Daehlie, who share the all-time Winter Olympic gold record at eight.