Winter Olympics 2026: Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo equals all-time gold record with stunning eighth medal

Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo added another huge moment to his already legendary career after winning the men’s 10km freestyle race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.

The victory gave him his eighth Olympic gold medal, tying the all-time Winter Olympics record. Klæbo finished 4.9 seconds ahead of France’s Mathis Desloges, showing once again why he is one of the biggest stars in cross-country skiing right now. It was also his third gold medal at these Games, making him one of the standout athletes of the tournament so far. His win quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the day.

Fans have watched him dominate event after event, and many now wonder if he will go on to break the record before these Olympics end. With more races still ahead, the Norwegian skier has a real chance to make even more history in Milan.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo moves level with Winter Olympics legends after dominant 10km freestyle victory

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo’s latest win added another chapter to a career that has already been packed with success. Before Milano-Cortina, he had won gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and again at the 2022 Games in Beijing.

His titles include victories in the individual sprint, team sprint, and relay events, making him one of the most complete skiers in the sport.Now tied on eight gold medals with Norwegian greats Bjørn Dæhlie, Marit Bjørgen, and Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Klæbo has placed himself among the biggest names in Winter Olympics history. More importantly, he still has three races left at these Games: the relay, team sprint, and 50km mass start, meaning the record could soon belong to him alone.

Klæbo’s performances have also caught the attention of fans beyond the skiing world. A video of his uphill sprint from earlier in the Games went viral online, gaining over 15 million views on X. American skier Ben Ogden, who finished behind him in the sprint race, summed up the challenge of racing against the Norwegian by saying, “I like to go to every race thinking that it’s a race for the win, but these days, a lot of the time it’s a race for second.”With the final week of competition still ahead, all eyes are now on Klæbo to see how much further he can push his Olympic legacy.