Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Norway Sets Multiple New Records at Winter Olympics

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Binoy | Last updated Feb 21, 2026 9:54 AM ET

As the curtain prepares to fall on the 2026 Winter Olympics, plenty of nations can point to moments they’ll never forget. There have been breakout stars, emotional podium ceremonies and a few surprise results along the way. But as the medal table begins to settle, one familiar name keeps popping up at the very top.

Norway has long treated the Winter Games like its personal playground. After setting the standard in 2022 in Beijing, it looks like Norwegian athletes weren’t content with simply repeating history. This time, they’ve gone a step further, raising the bar yet again and rewriting parts of the record book in the process.

Gold medallist Johannes Hosflot Klaebo of Norway celebrates on the podium after winning the Men's 10km + 10km Skiathlon during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.Kai Pfaffenbach-Reuters via Imagn Images

The Norway Olympic Team racked up an incredible 40 total medals, setting a new standard for the most medals ever won at a single Winter Olympics.

And that’s not all. Norway also topped its own gold-medal record from 2022 of 16 golds. This time around, Norway moved past that benchmark with 18 gold medals so far.

Norway has now also broken the record for most medals won at a single Winter Olympics, with a total of 40! (18, 11, 11) pic.twitter.com/3WcFeN5l2W
— Joakim (@joakial_) February 21, 2026

The man leading the medal haul is none other than Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who picked up gold medal No. 6 earlier Saturday at the 2026 Winter Olympics. And this one wasn’t just another win. It officially put him in a category of his own as the first athlete in Winter Olympics history to claim six golds at a single Games.

In the grueling 50km mass start, Klæbo stayed patient before making his move late, stopping the clock at 2 hours, 7 minutes, 7.1 seconds. Fellow Norwegians Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget and Emil Iversen joined him on the podium, turning the race into a red-and-blue showcase. The trio gradually broke away from the pack, and when the final climb came into view, Klæbo shifted gears and never looked back.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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