Can Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo clinch skiathlon gold?

Cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo races in front of competition through snow

It’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo’s world and we’re all just living in it. Klaebo will compete in the men’s 30km skiathlon in his second Olympic appearance. As the youngest male athlete in history to win the FIS cross-country World Cup, he has also remained the reigning men’s sprint classical champion. Klaebo has dominated the cross-country skiing world since he won his first place World Cup ranking during the 2017/2018 season and he has no plans on stopping at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Taking first overall for the 2021/2022 season at the World Cup in Oberstdorf, Germany, and second in distance, Norway’s Klaebo has accumulated 47 individual World Cup wins over his career. He is the most successful male sprinter in World Cup history and is now tied with fellow compatriot and cross-country skiing legend Petter Northug.

During his Olympic debut at the 2018 Winter Olympics held in PyeongChang, the Trondheim Norge rose to fame earning three gold medals in the men’s sprint free, 4x10km relay and the team sprint event. With the potential to land another gold in the men’s skiathlon, Klaebo also has entries in the men’s individual sprint and 15km individual. The medal podium might see Klaebo more than once and he could leave the Winter Olympics as a two peat gold medal champion.

SEE MORE: PyeongChang 2018: Klaebo strikes individual sprint gold

Challenging Klaebo for gold is Alexander Bolshunov from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Four-time Olympic medalist from PyeongChang, Bolshunov left with three silver and one bronze. The Russian athlete usually falls to Klaebo in his best event but wins in others. This rivalry will play out first in the men’s skiathlon LIVE on USA Network on Feb. 6 at 2:00 a.m. ET.

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