Ben Ogden turns into first American man in 50 years to win medal in cross-country snowboarding

Ben Ogden of Crew USA received the silver medal within the cross-country dash Tuesday on the Winter Olympics in Italy, changing into the primary American man to win a medal in cross-country snowboarding since Invoice Koch in 1976.

Ogden completed 0.8 seconds behind Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who blazed to his second victory to win his seventh Olympic gold medal.

Ogden grabbed Crew USA’s first particular person Olympic dash medal in cross nation, however mentioned it was Klaebo’s race to lose.

“Unbelievable, unbelievable. I simply cannot, I can not put into phrases. I am simply so thrilled,” the 25-year-old Vermont native mentioned. “I am proud to be the primary within the dash however there can be extra, do not you are worried.”

Klaebo separated from the sector with a punishing late uphill run to complete in 3 minutes, 39.8 seconds, easing off within the residence stretch. One other Norwegian, Oskar Opstad Vike, positioned third, 6.8 seconds behind the chief.

The 29-year-old Norwegian star Klaebo high-fived and hugged Norway followers after his race, amongst them his fiancé Pernille Doesvik, who wore a jacket bearing a big picture of the champion skier.

Klaebo’s seven gold medals are one shy of the Winter Olympics document shared by three athletes. After his newest triumph, the world’s top-ranked cross-country skier acknowledged that a number of the strain he felt initially of the Video games has now lifted.

“It was wonderful,” he mentioned. “My form is sweet and I used to be just a little bit extra relaxed earlier than this race than I used to be earlier than Sunday.”

However it was the Swedish followers who had probably the most to rejoice, singing the nationwide anthem with their skiers on all three locations on the ladies’s podium.

Linn Svahn edged defending Olympic champion Jonna Sundling with Maja Dahlqvist in third place in a race watched by Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf.

“I feel I’ve one of the best crew and one of the best teammates,” mentioned Sundling, who accomplished the dash 1.5 seconds behind the chief’s time of 4 minutes, 3.1 seconds. “I am actually completely happy to be part of the crew, our Swedish crew,” she mentioned. “It is such a powerful crew and we all the time push one another to be higher.”

Prime-ranked Jessie Diggins of america was eradicated within the quarterfinals, compounding her disappointment after a fall in her opening race on the weekend.