Off the wire
• Lula da Silva accepts to be presidential candidate despite prison sentence  • Hollywood actor criticizes U.S. gov't for pulling out of Paris climate agreement  • Lula da Silva accepts to be presidential candidate despite prison sentence  • Hollywood actor criticizes U.S. gov't for pulling out of Paris climate agreement  • Lula da Silva accepts to be presidential candidate despite prison sentence  • Hollywood actor criticizes U.S. gov't for pulling out of Paris climate agreement  • Lula da Silva accepts to be presidential candidate despite prison sentence  • Hollywood actor criticizes U.S. gov't for pulling out of Paris climate agreement  • Lula da Silva accepts to be presidential candidate despite prison sentence  • Hollywood actor criticizes U.S. gov't for pulling out of Paris climate agreement  
You are here: 　

Bjoergen becomes most decorated Winter Olympian, U.S. makes history in cross-country skiing

Xinhua,February 21, 2018 Adjust font size:

PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Norway's cross-country skiing legend Marit Bjoergen broke the all-time record for most Winter Olympic medals as she took a bronze from the women's team sprint free event at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old and Maiken Caspersen Falla finished in 15 minutes and 59.44 seconds, 2.97 seconds more than that of American duo of Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall, who won the U.S. first ever Olympic cross country gold.

The 14th medal put Bjoergen ahead of fellow countryman and biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.

"It's hard to understand, actually," Bjoergen said of her achievement as the most decorated Winter Olympian.

"When you're still an athlete you just have focus on other races. I think I'll need to have time to myself and look behind me and look how I've been able to do this. It's still hard to understand it when I'm standing here," she said.

"If someone told me (in 2002) I would be standing here, that I would still be skiing here, I would have thought it was not possible. But I am here and still fighting for medals. Of course I am proud of myself," she added.

Randall won her first Olympic medal in her 18th event, setting a new record for most events before claiming a medal.

Sweden's Charlotte Kalla and Stina Nilsson took the silver, finishing 19 hundredths of a second adrift. Enditem

 

Related News & Photos