Klaebo Secures Historic Sixth Gold in Men’s 50‑km Mass‑Start Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the 50‑km cross‑country mass‑start on 21 Feb 2026, completing a sweep of every men’s cross‑country event and becoming the first Winter Olympian ever to claim six gold medals at a single Games. His victory set a new Winter Games record and raised his career total to eleven golds, the second‑most in Olympic history behind Michael Phelps [1][2][3]. Norwegian teammates Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Emil Iversen completed the podium, giving Norway a clean 1‑2‑3 finish [1].

Norway Extends Record Gold Count to Unprecedented Levels The same race lifted Norway’s gold tally to a Games‑record 18, according to the Associated Press, while CNN reported the count at 17, reflecting a one‑gold lag before Klaebo’s win was tallied [1][3]. Norway’s overall medal haul reached 40, cementing a dominant lead over all nations [1]. Analysts note that the nation’s extensive club network and the absence of the banned Russian team have amplified its depth across disciplines [6].

U.S. Achieves Record‑Breaking Eleventh Gold in Mixed Aerials Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis captured the mixed team aerials gold, delivering the United States its eleventh gold of the Games and surpassing the previous national record set in Salt Lake City 2002 [4][8]. Lillis repeated his Beijing 2022 success, while the U.S. total of 30 medals placed the country second overall behind Norway [4][8]. The win highlighted the expanded event program, which added 38 medal events compared with 2002 [4].

Biathlon Mass‑Start Victory Fuels Norway’s Medal Surge On 20 Feb 2026, Johannes Dale‑Skjevdal won the men’s 15‑km biathlon mass‑start, hitting all 20 targets in 39 minutes 17.1 seconds and delivering Norway’s 17th gold, a new single‑Games record at the time [5][6]. Sturla Holm Laegreid earned silver and France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet took bronze, while the result set the stage for Klaebo’s subsequent record‑breaking performance [5].

Reporting Discrepancy Over Norway’s Gold Total AP’s 21 Feb 2026 story lists Norway at 18 gold medals after Klaebo’s win, whereas CNN’s same‑day coverage records 17 gold medals before the race, indicating a timing difference in tally updates [1][3]. Both outlets agree Norway leads the medal table and that the nation’s total medals stand at 40 following the event [1][3]. The discrepancy underscores the rapid pace of record‑setting performances during the final days of the Games.