Bjoergen scales new heights
Pyeongchang ( South Korea), Feb. 21: Marit Bjoergen made Olympic history and the United States women’s cross- country team won their first medal ever — and it was gold.
Bjoergen won her 14th medal at the Winter Games by taking bronze with her Norwegian team mates on Wednesday in the team sprint. That made her the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, breaking the tie she held with Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.
Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall led the way as the American women pulled off a huge upset in the same race. The only other American to win a medal in cross- country skiing was Bill Koch, who took silver in the 30kilometer race at the 1976 Innsbruck Games.
The Americans posted the fastest time in the semi- finals and started on the front row in the final. Diggins passed the Swedes and the Norwegians on the final lap to win the first Olympic gold medal for the United States in the sport. Sweden took silver.
The 37- year- old Bjoergen has won four medals at the Pyeongchang Games. She took gold in the women’s 4x5- kilometre relay, silver in the 15- kilometre skiathlon and bronze in the 10- kilometre freestyle. She still has one event remaining — the 30- kilometre mass start on Sunday — if she chooses to participate.
Johannes
Klaebo and Johnsrud won Hoesflot Martin the men’s team sprint, Norway a 13th cross- country Pyeongchang.
A team of Russians took silver and France edged out Sweden for third.
It was the third gold medal for Klaebo, equaling French biathlete Martin Fourcade for the most golds so far at Pyeongchang.
The 21- year Klaebo became the fourth male athlete to win three gold medals at the Winter Games. — AP giving medal in events at