Norwegian Therese Johaug became the “Queen of Skiing” in Beijing 2022 Games with her third Olympic gold in cross-country skiing.
World champion Therese Johaug triumphed convincingly with the title in the mass start of the 30km cross-country ski run at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
Therese Johaug, who already had two Olympic titles in Beijing in skiathlon and 10km classic style, won without problems. The Norwegian cross-country skier, for whom this was the last start of the Olympic Games, covered the distance in 1:24:54.0 hours. The 33-year-old Johaug earned her third Olympic gold in the Chinese capital after the 10km classic and the 15km ski run (7.5km classic and 7.5km freestyle). However, after the win she announced that this are her last Olympics.
The Scandinavian attacked shortly after the 9th kilometer and constantly increased the lead over her main pursuer Jessie Diggins (USA), who reached almost 2 minutes shortly before the final. In the last 2 km she slowed down and still finished 1:43.3 min ahead of the American.
“I feel really good. I was leading and trying to think about my own race, to do my own work. So I’m extremely happy. I came to Beijing without an individual gold medal. And now I have three and I can end my Olympic career with that achievement. It’s great”, said the Norwegian.
The silver medal went to Jessie Diggins. The 30-year-old Jessie Diggins took another award in Beijing after bronze in the individual sprint. She already has a full set of Olympic medals after becoming the team sprint champion in PyeongChang 2018.
With strong last meters, the Finnish Kerttu Niskanen fought for bronze with a lag of 2:33.3 minutes behind the champion. Kerttu Niskanen also won a second medal at the Games in the Chinese capital after the 10km silver.
The leader in the General Championship for the World Cup Natalia Nepryaeva from the Russian Olympic Committee started in the competition but gave up at the very beginning.
Women’s Cross-Country Skiing 30km:
1. Therese Johaug (Norway) – 1:12:12.3 hours
2. Jessie Diggins (USA) – 1:26:37.3 hours
3. Kerttu Niskanen (Finland) – 1:27:27.3 hours
