American Ben Ogden wins silver, breaking 50 year medal drought for U.S. men’s cross-country skiing

VAL DI FIEMME, Italy – Vermont cross-country ski racer Ben Ogden pulled off a feat at the moment on the Tesero Cross-Nation Snowboarding Stadium in Val di Fiemme, Italy, that no males’s U.S. skier has achieved since 1976 — ascending a podium at a Winter Olympics.

Ogden, 25, gained silver, ending behind Johannes Klaebo of Norway. Oskar Vike of Norway completed in third place, claiming bronze.

“It was so, so superior,” Ogden mentioned, minutes after crossing the end line. “I could not be extra thrilled to perform this purpose.”

After the medal ceremony, Ogden celebrated by doing a backflip off the rostrum. “I promised my 15 yr previous self I might do this if I used to be ever on an Olympic podium. I obtained up there and I used to be like, effectively, now could be the second.”

At present’s race was a dash within the basic fashion, requiring racers to qualify after which advance by means of quarter-finals and semi-finals earlier than the ultimate warmth of six skiers wherein medals are determined.

Ogden certified in second place and regarded sturdy within the heats. He completed effectively behind Klaebo, the winningest cross nation skier ever, however effectively forward of Vike.

Based on Ogden, he realized close to the tip of the race that he had a powerful probability to achieve the rostrum. “I regarded round … and it was simply the three of us.”

The final U.S. males’s ski racer to medal in cross-country was Ogden’s fellow Vermonter Invoice Koch, who took silver on the Winter Video games in Innsbruck, Austria. Ogden grew up close to Koch and infrequently skied on trails by means of Vermont woods on Koch’s land.

“I do know Invoice, his medal gave a giant enhance to all of the younger skiers and all of the individuals who dreamed the U.S. may very well be a champion cross nation ski nation. I hope it will assist propel us into the following 50 years,” Ogden mentioned. “I been fascinated by Invoice loads.”

The U.S. Ski group rapidly celebrated Ogden’s highly effective displaying, posting on X that he climbed to “SECOND on the earth to change into the primary American man to win an Olympic medal since Invoice Koch in 1976!!”

That is Ogden’s third Olympic video games.

The highest U.S. cross-country ski racer on the ladies’s facet, Jessie Diggins, did not advance in basic dash races Tuesday. Julia Kern reached the finals and completed in sixth place.

– This story is creating and will probably be up to date.