Ben Ogden becomes first American in 50 years to win a medal in cross-country skiing

Ben Ogden of Team USA won the silver medal in Tuesday’s cross-country sprint at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, becoming the first American to win a medal in cross-country skiing since Bill Koch in 1976.

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

Ogden captured Team USA’s first Olympic individual sprint medal in cross country, but said Klaebo had the race to lose.

“Amazing, amazing. I just can’t, I can’t put it into words. I’m so excited,” the 25-year-old Vermont native said. “I’m proud to be first in the sprint but there will be more, don’t worry.”

Klaebo separated himself from the field with a grueling uphill run to finish in 3 minutes, 39.8 seconds, easing into the homestretch. Another Norwegian, Oskar Opstad Vike, was third, 6.8 seconds behind the leader.

Norwegian star Klaebo, 29, high-fived and hugged Norwegian fans after his race, including his fiancee Pernille Doesvik, who was wearing a jacket with a large image of the ski champion.

Klaebo’s seven gold medals are one shy of the Winter Olympics record shared by three athletes. After his latest triumph, the world’s top-ranked cross-country skier acknowledged that some of the pressure he felt at the start of the Games has already dissipated.

“It was incredible,” he said. “My form is good and I was a little more relaxed before this race than before Sunday.”

But it was the Swedish fans who were able to celebrate the most, singing the national anthem with their skiers in the three places on the women’s podium.

Linn Svahn edged out defending Olympic champion Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist took third in a race witnessed by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

“I think I have the best team and the best teammates,” said Sundling, who completed the sprint 1.5 seconds behind the leader’s time of 4 minutes, 3.1 seconds. “I’m very happy to be part of the team, our Swedish team,” he said. “It’s a very strong team and we always push each other to be better.”

best ranked Jessie Diggins of the United States was eliminated in the quarterfinals, compounding her disappointment after a crash in her first race over the weekend.