Zhangjiakou (AP) – Top favorite Therese Johaug won the gold medal in the last cross-country skiing race of the Olympic Winter Games in China.
The 33-year-old Norwegian prevailed over 30 kilometers in freezing cold and stormy Zhangjiakou ahead of Jessica Diggins from the USA and Kerttu Niskanen from Finland. For Johaug it was the third gold medal at these games and the fourth Olympic victory of his career. Victoria Carl finished twelfth and was the best German. Antonia Fräbel was 19th, Pia Fink was 25th.
“That was one of my toughest 30s,” said Carl, who won gold in the team sprint with Katharina Althaus. After a collision, she lost touch with a chasing group, but still had enough lead over the next group. “I had to walk a lot alone, unfortunately,” she said. “And the wind makes it so difficult.” In the last lap, she had to be careful that the wind “don’t knock me out”.
In extreme conditions, the field tore apart early on. Small groups formed. Johaug, Ebba Andersson from Sweden, Delphine Claudel from France and Diggins took the lead. Little by little, Johaug shook off her competitors and, after about a third of the distance, ran a lonely race in free technique, which she won with ease.