Diggins makes history at World Ski Championships
American skier Jessie Diggins made history on the slopes Tuesday. She became the first U.S. cross-country skier to win an individual world title.
Diggins won the 10-kilometer freestyle event at the World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia. She outlasted the competition with a winning time of 23 minutes and 40 seconds. The event had competitors enter at 30-second intervals. Diggins had a late start but wound up winning by 14 seconds over silver medalist Frida Karlsson. “I couldn’t stop crying after the race,” Diggins told Norwegian broadcaster NRK, via NBC Sports. “I was like, ‘I can’t even enjoy this because I can’t even see. I’m crying the whole time.’ But it was so special.”
The victory adds to an impressive list of accomplishments. Diggins owns the U.S. cross-country skiing record for Olympic medals. She won a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics and added a silver and bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Games. In total, Diggins has 14 individual World Cup wins.
“It’s wonderful to have a monkey off your back, even for an athlete as decorated as Jessie,” U.S. coach Matt Whitcomb told NRK. “She probably couldn’t tell you all the stats about herself. All she can tell you is that you give her a course like this, and she knows she can at least be tied for the lead with regards to going the hardest. That’s really the attribute of Jessie that’s most admirable. She can just go out there and suffer.”
Diggins began her World Cup career in 2011. She has made 46 individual podiums and earned two team wins.
She will look for medal on Thursday alongside the U.S. relay team.