U.S. women’s gold medal ‘one we dreamed about’

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — In the same sprint freestyle relay in which Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen became the most decorated athlete in Winter Olympics history, the U.S. women won the gold medal.

It’s hard to say which is more impressive — a Norwegian woman winning her 14th cross-country medal, or the U.S. women winning their first. The gold happened when Jessie Diggins stuck her left ski across the finish line 0.19 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Stina Nilsson.

“I’m just so happy that we can finally get this monkey off our back,” said American Kikkan Randall, 35, competing in the final race of her fifth Olympics. “It was fun to show the world that we were able to do it. When I first started, we were excited if we got a top 30.”

It is the first cross-country medal by U.S. women, the first American gold by either gender and the first U.S. medal of any color since Bill Koch took the silver at 30 kilometers in 1976.

It was Randall’s 17th career Olympic event. The other 16 ended without a medal.

“I envisioned a gold in there somewhere,” said Randall. “I always believed deep down it was possible. But to save it for my last Olympic race? It’s crazy. It’s the best ending I could have asked for, but also bittersweet because this is the one we dreamed about and it’s the last one.”

The significance certainly wasn’t lost on the sport’s Scandinavian giants, who spent more time talking about the first American medal than the 37-year-old Bjoergen’s bronze. That gave her 14 over five Olympics, moving her past the 13 of fellow Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.

“I can say I’m very, very happy for Jessie and Kikkan today,” Bjoergen said. “I also think that’s very important for our sport. I’m very, very happy for them.”

Said Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla: are so worth this gold medal.”

Diggins, 26, said she grew up Randall.

“Watching Kikkan get us into a position where we were going to get a medal,” said Diggins, “I was like, ‘Well, OK, we’re going to try to make it a gold one then. We have nothing to lose.’ I just had a lot of belief going into that last lap.”

Randall was waiting wishing for history.

“When Jessie (crossed), I looked over at the scoreboard and saw United States No. 1 and just let out a big scream and ran over and tackled Jess,” Randall said. “And she said: ‘Oh, my gosh, did we just win the Olympics?’

“And I said, ‘Yeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh.’ for idolizing her, “They yelling,