US cross country skier Ben Ogden made history on Tuesday by winning a silver medal in the Olympic men’s classic sprint ending a 50 year medal drought for American men in the sport.
The last time a US male skier reached the Olympic podium in cross-country skiing was in 1976 when Bill Koch captured silver in the 30km event. Ogden’s achievement represents a major milestone for the United States and has renewed optimism about the future of the sport at the elite level.
I hope this gives the future of cross country skiing in the US a big boost Ogden told Reuters. Bill’s medal inspired generations of young skiers and I hope this moment carries us forward into the next 50 years.
Earlier this year Ogden and teammate Gus Schumacher had already broken new ground by earning the first ever World Cup sprint podium for US men with a third place finish. Ogden continued that momentum with a dominant Olympic performance, finishing second in the qualification round and posting the fastest time in the quarter finals.
In the final the 25year-old was narrowly beaten by Norway’s Johannes Klaebo who secured his second gold of the Games and seventh Olympic title overall.
Known for his humility and humour Ogden also drew smiles off the track joking that his delayed replies to messages were due to a newfound knitting hobby. His silver medal not only ends a decades-long wait but also signals a promising future for American men’s cross country skiing.
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