Ben Ogden Breaks Team USA’s 50-Year Medal Drought In Cross...

Ben Ogden Breaks Team USA’s 50-Year Medal Drought In Cross-Country Skiing

Milan Cortina, Italy – Ben Ogden made history at the 2026 Winter Olympics, earning a silver medal in the men’s cross-country skiing sprint.

This marks the first Olympic medal for a U.S. male cross-country skier in 50 years, following Bill Koch’s silver in the 50km classic at the 1976 Innsbruck Games.

Ogden’s remarkable performance saw him finish with a time of 3:40, just one second behind Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who claimed gold.

Klaebo, a dominant force in the sport, secured his seventh Olympic gold medal.

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Norway’s Oskar Opstad Vike rounded out the podium with bronze in his Olympic debut.

The path to Ogden’s silver was anything but easy.

He advanced through the qualifying round, quarterfinals, and semifinals to reach the final heat of six competitors.

Ogden’s strong classic technique and strategic racing helped him secure second place in the final, narrowly edging out competitors in a thrilling finish.

Ogden, a Vermont native, grew up in the Bill Koch Youth Ski League, named after the last American man to medal in cross-country skiing.

Reflecting on his achievement, Ogden said:

“It’s an unbelievable dream come true. Everybody who races dreams of being on an Olympic podium.”

This silver medal is a significant milestone for Team USA, which has struggled to make an impact in men’s cross-country skiing for decades.

Ogden’s success adds to the growing legacy of American skiers, including Jessie Diggins, who has won three Olympic medals on the women’s side.

Ogden’s historic achievement not only ends a half-century drought but also inspires a new generation of American cross-country skiers to dream big on the world stage.