TRONDHEIM, Norway — In an extraordinary feat of athletic prowess, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo accomplished a historic clean sweep at the cross-country skiing world championships on Saturday, right in his hometown of Trondheim.
Cheered on by a massive 100,000-strong crowd of enthusiastic fans, Klaebo captured a rare win in the 50-kilometer mass start freestyle event, marking an incredible six victories out of six races at the Nordic world championships.
“This is beyond anything I ever anticipated or dreamed of, it’s genuinely astonishing,” Klaebo declared, visibly exhausted as he leaned against the advertising boards, his head bowed and elbows resting on his knees, moments after triumphing for his 15th world title.
“I’ve dedicated so much effort just to be present and perform at my best form, and achieving victory in all six races is just unbelievable.”
No athlete, man or woman, had ever secured a sweep at the world championships since they expanded to include six events in 2001 for men, and 2003 for women.
Klaebo completed the grueling course in an impressive time of one hour, 57 minutes, and 47.1 seconds, narrowly edging out Sweden’s William Poromaa, who finished 2.1 seconds behind. Simen Hegstad Krueger, Klaebo’s Norwegian teammate, clinched third place, trailing by 8.5 seconds.
At 28 years old, Klaebo is considered one of the greatest cross-country skiers ever. He came to these world championships without any titles in this discipline, although his accolades already included five Olympic golds and nine world titles.
Klaebo had narrowly missed out in previous championships, coming second by just one second in 202, and facing disqualification after crossing the line first in 2021.
“I feel the crowd’s energy was my fuel today,” said Klaebo. “On the third lap, I was struggling, but staying close to the pack felt manageable thanks to the sheer number of supporters.”
“I’ve been saying this every single day, but today’s achievement is the pinnacle. Winning the 50K — so close two years ago, disqualified four years back — it’s been a rollercoaster journey.”
Klaebo’s journey at the Nordic world championships began on February 27 in Trondheim when he led Norway to victory in the relay. He followed up with gold in the 20km skiathlon, the 10km, and the team sprint, with the final win making him the most decorated male cross-country skier in the history of the world championships—a record he further extended with his latest victory.
