At the Tesero cross-country skiing stadium during the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Klaebo concluded the final leg with a safe margin, leading Norway to first place in 1 hour 4 minutes 24.05 seconds. This marks his fourth gold medal at this year's Games and his ninth Olympic gold overall, an unprecedented milestone in Winter Olympic history.

Klaebo during the men's 4x7.5km cross-country skiing relay at the Tesero cross-country skiing stadium, Trentino province, Italy, Winter Olympics on 15/2. *Photo: AP*

Klaebo started the final leg with a 12.2-second advantage established by teammates Emil Iversen, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, and Einar Hedegart. Upon crossing the finish line, the lead had extended to 22.2 seconds over second-place France. He eased up in the final meters, raising his arms in celebration before embracing his waiting teammates and the Norwegian flag.

"I like this record, but the relay victory is the most important thing for us," Klaebo stated after the race. "Thanks to my teammates for leaving me with an easy task in this competition."

With 9 gold medals, Klaebo surpassed three Winter sports legends, all from Norway: Marit Bjoergen, Bjorn Daehlie, and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, who each hold 8 Olympic gold medals. At 29 years old, he became the most decorated athlete in Winter Olympic history. Including the Summer Olympics, only swimmer Michael Phelps has more gold medals than Klaebo, with 23.

This victory also boosted Norway's gold medal count at Milano-Cortina 2026 to 11, maintaining their lead in the overall standings for both gold medals and total medals (22). The previous day, the Norwegian women's team also secured a gold in their cross-country skiing relay.

At Milano-Cortina 2026, Klaebo has won all 4 events he has competed in so far. He has two more opportunities in the men's team sprint on 18/2 and the 50km classic on 21/2. Should he win both of these events, Klaebo would become the first male athlete to claim 6 gold medals at a single Winter Olympics.

Klaebo's dominance has led many rivals to acknowledge the significant gap. American athlete Zak Ketterson believes the Norwegian skier could be among the greatest athletes, not just in Winter sports but across the entire Olympic arena.

*Hoang An (via Athletic, Guardian)*