Norway’s Johannes Dale-Skjevdal Claims Historic 17th Gold in Biathlon

Norway achieved a historic milestone in Winter Olympic history on February 9, 2024, when Johannes Dale-Skjevdal secured the nation’s 17th gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The victory came during the 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race, where Dale-Skjevdal was the only competitor to successfully hit all 20 targets, setting a new record for the most gold medals won by a single nation in a Winter Olympics.

The previous record of 16 gold medals was established by Norway at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Dale-Skjevdal completed the challenging race, which involved five laps on newly packed snow and gusty winds, in a time of 39 minutes, 17.1 seconds. His performance was marked by precision shooting and strong skiing, particularly after he took the lead following the first standing bout.

Dale-Skjevdal’s teammate, Sturla Holm Laegreid, also showcased his skills, missing only one target throughout the race. He finished with a silver medal, trailing Dale-Skjevdal by just 10.5 seconds. This marked Laegreid’s fifth medal of the ongoing Olympic Games, highlighting his remarkable consistency and competitiveness.

The bronze medal was claimed by Quentin Fillon Maillet of France, who initially fell behind after missing four targets but managed to overtake German biathlete Philipp Horn in the final stretch. Fillon Maillet finished the race 25.6 seconds behind Dale-Skjevdal. He has already earned gold medals in both the mixed relay and men’s relay, along with a top finish in the sprint event.

The mass start race involved only the top 30 biathletes, selected based on their World Cup rankings and Olympic performances. Competitors skied five loops of 3 kilometers each, engaging in shooting sessions both prone and standing. Dale-Skjevdal’s historic win not only underscores Norway’s dominance in winter sports but also adds to the excitement of the ongoing Olympic events.

As the Winter Olympics continue, Norway’s remarkable achievement sets a high bar for future competitions, with athletes striving to match or exceed this extraordinary record.