TESERO, Italy — The 2026 Winter Olympics has officially crowned its undisputed king. Norwegian cross-country sensation Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has etched his name into the pantheon of sporting legends, completing a historic sweep of all six men’s cross-country events at the Milano Cortina Games.
On Saturday, 21 February 2026, Klæbo secured his sixth gold medal of the Games in the grueling 50-kilometre mass start classic. Finishing with a time of 2:06:44.8, he crossed the line 8.9 seconds ahead of teammate Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, leading a dominant Norwegian podium sweep. This victory makes Klæbo the first athlete in history to win six gold medals at a single Winter Olympics, surpassing the previous record of five set by American speed skater Eric Heiden in 1980.
The Road to Six Golds
Klæbo’s performance over the last two weeks in Val di Fiemme has been described by analysts as the most dominant display in the history of Nordic skiing. His path to the record included victories in:
- Individual Sprint
- Team Sprint
- 10km Freestyle
- 20km Skiathlon
- 4x10km Relay
- 50km Mass Start Classic
“It’s been a dream,” Klæbo told reporters following his final race. “To come here and find this kind of shape, and to have the skis and the team support we’ve had, it’s hard to put into words. The 50km is always the ultimate test, and to finish the Games this way is incredible.”
All-Time Great Status
With this historic run, the 29-year-old has extended his career Olympic gold medal tally to 11, spanning three Winter Games (PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022, and Milano Cortina 2026). He now sits as the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time in terms of gold medals, surpassing the previous record of eight held by Norwegian legends Bjørn Dæhlie and Ole Einar Bjørndalen.
The “Klæbo Method”—a combination of explosive sprinting power and newly refined endurance—has left competitors struggling to keep pace. Even in the 50km, traditionally a race of attrition, Klæbo’s tactical brilliance allowed him to pull away in the final kilometres, leaving no doubt about his “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT) status.
Norway Dominates the Table
Klæbo’s individual success has propelled Norway to the top of the overall medal table as the Games conclude today, 22 February 2026. While Canadian fans celebrated successes in hockey and curling over the weekend, the international spotlight remains firmly fixed on the man from Trondheim who turned the Italian Alps into his personal trophy room.
As the closing ceremony approaches this evening, the sporting world is left to wonder: after winning every event possible in a single Games, what is left for Johannes Høsflot Klæbo to conquer?