Marit Bjoergen makes history with 13th career medal at 2018 Winter Olympics

Paul Myerberg | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption What you need to know about Olympic Cross Country Skiing Have questions about the Cross Country Skiing? Let these Olympic skiers explain the rules.

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Norway started from the first position and had Marit Bjoergen running the anchor leg of the women’s cross country 4x5-kilometer team relay, so a medal here on Saturday night seemed only predictable.

And the Norwegian women didn’t disappoint, winning gold by two seconds over Sweden, thanks to Bjoergen’s furious close in the last 500 meters. Trailing by roughly half a second heading into the fourth leg, Sweden’s Stina Nilsson drafted behind Bjoergen until the track’s final downhill portion, when the Norwegian cross-country legend put more distance between herself and the 24-year-old Swede.

“I just tried to keep up with Marit as long as I could,” Nilsson said.

A team of Olympic Athletes from Russia took bronze. The USA finished fifth, 80 seconds off Norway’s gold-medal pace but the best finish by the women’s team in the event’s history.

“While we tend to be really focused on the medals, because we know deep in our hearts it’s still possible,” said the USA’s Kikkan Randall, “I think it’s amazing to put together four strong legs today and get the best-ever result and keep the pathway going forward.”

But the night belonged to the Norwegians, and the moment to Bjoergen. Olympic history was made: Norway’s gold was the 13th medal of Bjoergen’s career, tying her with former Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen for the most by any Winter Olympian.

“I don’t think about that,” Bjoergen said. “I think you are looking forward and not thinking to what you have done. You’re just looking forward to the next race. I have to focus on that.”

It was the second medal in three days for Bjoergen and her third medal overall of the Pyeongchang Games, joining Thursday’s bronze in the 10K free and a silver medal in the 15K skiathlon, held on Feb. 10.

“She’s one hell of a girl and a skier,” said Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg. “She was really physically and mentally strong to do what she did in the last 500 meters.”

Bjoergen has medaled at least once in each of the past four Winter Games, starting with a silver medal in the 4x5 relay at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. She won another medal, in the 10K classic, during the 2006 Torino Games, before taking a combined eight medals during the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2014 Sochi Games.

At 37 years and 333 days old on Saturday, Bjoergen was the second-oldest woman to ever medal in the team relay. Raisa Smetanina was 39 years and 354 days old when she won gold in the event in 1992, representing the Unified Team of Olympians from several former Soviet republics.

There may be a chance for another, as part of Norway’s sprint team. Norway has yet to name its team for the event, to be held Wednesday, though Bjoergen would be a logical choice; she was part of the country’s gold-medal unit at the Sochi Games.

Asked if Bjoergen could win another medal here, teammate Astrid Jacobsen put it simply: “Yes,” she said, emphatically.

That would make it official: Norway’s 37-year-old skiing legend would stand alone with 14 medals, the most decorated Olympian in the history of the Winter Games. Not that she’s ready to think about her legacy.

“I think when I’m finished skiing I will look behind me and see what I will have done,” said Bjoergen. “It’s also important if you want still to be on a high level that you forget what you have done and push to be a better athlete. Have focus on the next thing.”