Norwegian Skier Wins Record 6 Golds at 2026 Winter Olympics

When Johannes Høsflot Klæbo crossed the finish line in his sixth and final event at the Winter Olympics, emotions poured out of the Norwegian skier who just rewrote the history books.

The cross-country specialist swept all six events at Milano Cortina 2026, claiming more gold medals at a single Winter Games than any athlete ever. He broke the record of five golds that had stood since 1980, when American speed skater Eric Heiden set the mark at Lake Placid.

Klæbo's journey to this historic moment makes it even more remarkable. At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, he finished 40th in one distance race and didn't even complete another due to weather conditions.

Over the past four years, the sprinter transformed himself into a distance champion through dedicated training. His final gold came in the grueling 50-kilometer race, where Norway swept the entire podium.

The victory gave Klæbo 11 Olympic gold medals total, making him the second-most decorated gold medalist in Olympic history behind swimmer Michael Phelps. At just 29 years old, he's entering what many consider the physical and mental prime for cross-country skiers.

Why This Inspires

What makes Klæbo's achievement truly special is how close he came to walking away from skiing entirely. After winning six events at the World Championships in his hometown last year, he told his father he was done with the sport.

"After Trondheim, he turned to me and said: 'I'm done,'" his father Haakon revealed. The relentless training schedule and pressure had left Klæbo feeling exhausted and burned out.

But a spring break where he completely disconnected from skiing changed everything. The time away helped him realize he needed to approach training and life differently to sustain his career long-term.

"I had an amazing spring break where I didn't think about skiing, and the motivation came back," Klæbo said. "This year has been way better in terms of what we've done both outside of training and during it."

His success isn't just about athletic ability. Klæbo credits his supportive family and fiancée for helping him make the right choices that led to his clean sweep.

The kid who once dreamed of winning just one World Cup race has now achieved what seemed impossible, proving that sometimes stepping back is the secret to moving forward.