BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Norway's cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo clinched his third gold at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, and eighth overall, joining an exclusive echelon as the most decorated Olympians.
Gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway poses for photos with the medal during the awarding ceremony for the Cross-Country Skiing Men's 10km Interval Start Free at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Tesero, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/He Canling)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway competes during the Cross-Country Skiing Men's 10km Interval Start Free at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Tesero, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
In the men's 10,000m speed skating, Olympic debutant Metodej Jilek clocked a time of 12 minutes 33.43 seconds to emerge victorious. Jilek became the first Czech male speed skater to win an Olympic gold with his triumph in the 10,000m.
Metodej Jilek of the Czech Republic competes during the speed skating men's 10000m event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Metodej Jilek of the Czech Republic takes a break after the speed skating men's 10000m event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
France's Quentin Fillon Maillet won the men's 10km biathlon sprint, shooting clean and clocking a total time of 22 minutes 53.1 seconds.
Quentin Fillon Maillet of France competes during the biathlon men's 10km sprint event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Anterselva, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Gold medalist Quentin Fillon Maillet of France celebrates during the awarding ceremony of the biathlon men's 10km sprint event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Anterselva, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
In snowboarding, Australia's Josie Baff captured gold in the women's cross event, overtaking Switzerland's Noemie Wiedmer and holding off a late charge from Czech rider Eva Adamczykova in the big final.
Eva Adamczykova of the Czech Republic, Josie Baff of Australia, Sina Siegenthaler of Switzerland and Charlotte Bankes of Britain (L to R) compete during the women's snowboard cross quarterfinal at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)
Josie Baff of Australia, Eva Adamczykova of the Czech Republic, Michela Moioli of Italy and Noemie Wiedmer of Switzerland (L to R) compete during the women's snowboard cross big final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)
China's Yongqinglamu and Pang Chuyuan were eliminated in the first round of the knockout stage, but their participation carried significance as it marked the country's first qualification for the event purely on merit under the international points system.
Yongqinglamu of China competes during the snowboard women's cross seeding at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)
Pang Chuyuan of China competes during the snowboard women's cross seeding at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)
Japan's Totsuka Yuto claimed the men's halfpipe gold, while Australia's five-time Olympian Scotty James came in second again after Beijing 2022.
Gold medalist Totsuka Yuto reacts during the awarding ceremony of the men's snowboard halfpipe at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Totsuka Yuto of Japan competes during the men's snowboard halfpipe qualification at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)
Also on Friday, Kazakh figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov emerged as a surprise winner in the men's event, which saw American sensation Ilia Malinin come up short in the free skate and drop from first after the short program to eighth overall. Japan's Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato secured silver and bronze respectively.
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan celebrates after winning the men's single skating free skating of figure skating event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan competes during the free skating of the men single skating match for figure skating event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)
Ilia Malinin of the United States falls during the men's single skating free skating of figure skating event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)
Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after his performance during the men's single skating free skating of figure skating event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
In the men's skeleton, Britain's Matt Weston broke the track record four times en route to victory with a total time of three minutes 43.33 seconds.
Matt Weston of Britain reacts after crossing the finish line during the skeleton men competition heat 4 at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Ding Xu)
Gold medalist Matt Weston of Britain jubilates on the podium after the skeleton men's competition at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)■