Winter Olympics 2026: Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo wins RECORD ninth gold in men's relay, more than anyone in Winter Olympic history

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo underlined his status as the greatest champion in the history of the Winter Olympics with his ninth career gold and fourth of the 2026 Milano Cortina Games. Klaebo led Team Norway to victory in the men’s 7.5km relay to create history and add another gold to go with his triumphs in the 10km freestyle, 20km skiathlon and individual sprint.

Norwegian superstar Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo made history on Sunday as he led Team Norway to victory in the men's relay, winning his ninth Winter Olympics gold medal, more than anyone else in history.

Klaebo's victory in the men's 10km had moved him onto eight, level with three of his compatriots - cross-country skiers Marit Bjoergen and Bjorn Daehlie and biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen - but this triumph moves him clear out on his own as the greatest Winter Olympics champion.

The 29-year-old has undoubtedly been one of the standout stars of Milano Cortina, going viral for his remarkable speed while powering uphill en route to claiming golds in the 10km freestyle, 20km skiathlon and individual sprint.

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And he etched his name further into the history books in the men’s relay.

"It was a fantastic race," Klaebo said. "It’s great to be able to give this gold medal to Norway. The other guys made it so possible and easy for me.

"It’s a team result. There are so many people involved and I want to share this with them."

Norway were the strong favourites going into the race and proved why. They were neck and neck with the American and Italian teams at the first exchange but opened up a 10-second advantage at the halfway point after a really strong second leg from Martin Loewstroem Nyenget.

Einar Hedegart then extended that advantage to a shade over 12 seconds at the third exchange, leaving the stage clear for Klaebo to finish the job and claim his fourth gold of this Olympics and ninth of his career.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

France’s Victor Lovera briefly closed the gap to six seconds on Klaebo, but he was unable to completely bridge the gap as Klaebo cruised to a 22-second triumph, soaking in the applause on his run to the line as he underlined his status as the greatest of all time.

Remarkably, Klaebo’s Olympics is far from over. The Norwegian still has the team sprint and the 50km mass start to look forward to, so could, conceivably, finish the 2026 Games with six golds and 11 in total.

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"Absolutely no doubt, it was his easiest gold medal of these Games," TNT Sports commentator Ian Woods said.

Rosamund Musgrave agreed, adding: "I think it was so easy. I think he was probably almost thinking ahead to the next one to go, ‘Do you know what, the easier I can do this, the more I’ve got in the tank for the next two medals I need to be getting’."

Klaebo has 11 Winter Olympics medals in total, only five athletes in history have more. Bjoergen has the record with a total of 15 medals.

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