After storming to his third gold medal of the Milano Cortina Games on Friday, Norwegian cross-country skiing sensation Johannes Hosflot Klaebo has officially climbed to the summit of Winter Olympic history. By winning the men’s 10km interval start, the 29-year-old secured his eighth career gold, pulling him into a four-way tie for the most in history alongside legendary compatriots Bjorn Daehlie, Marit Bjron, and Ole Einar Bjorndalen.
With three events still remaining on his 2026 schedule — starting with the men’s relay on Sunday — Klaebo is now perfectly positioned to surpass his idols and stand alone as the most successful Winter Olympian of all time.
Here’s how Klaebo can break the record in the upcoming events.
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Most gold medals in Olympics history
The list of athletes with eight or more Olympic gold medals has expanded to include 18 legends from both Summer and Winter competitions.
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Who has the most Winter Olympics gold medals?
There is a four-way tie for the most gold medals in Winter Olympics history.
Following his victory in the 10km interval start, Klaebo secured his eighth career gold medal, joining three other legendary Norwegian athletes at the top of the all-time list.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (Norway)
Klaebo is the youngest member of this elite club and the only one still actively competing. He officially reached 8 gold medals on February 13, 2026, after winning the 10km interval start at the Milano Cortina Games.
Klaebo has redefined cross-country skiing with his ability to dominate both short sprints and grueling distance races. Since he still has three events left in the current Olympics, he is widely expected to break this four-way tie and become the sole record-holder for the most Winter gold medals in history before the closing ceremony.
Marit Bjoergen (Norway)
Often referred to as “Iron Marit,” Bjoergen retired in 2018 as the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time with 15 total medals (8 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze). Her career spanned five Olympic Games, beginning as a sprint specialist and evolving into a dominant distance skier. Her longevity and consistency are legendary; she famously won five medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Games at age 37, including a gold in the final 30km mass start—the final race of her Olympic career.
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (Norway)
Bjoerndalen amassed 13 total medals, including 8 golds, across six Olympic appearances. His most iconic performance came at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, where he achieved a perfect clean sweep by winning gold in every single men’s biathlon event (sprint, pursuit, individual, and relay). He remained competitive well into his 40s, winning his final Olympic gold in the mixed relay at the 2014 Sochi Games at age 40.
Bjorn Daehlie (Norway)
The original king of the Winter Games, Daehlie was the first athlete to reach the 8-gold milestone, a record that stood for 16 years until Bjoerndalen tied it in 2014. Dominating the 1990s, he won 12 total medals over just three Olympics (1992, 1994, and 1998). Daehlie was famous for his incredible aerobic capacity and his “never-say-die” attitude, exemplified by his final gold in the 50km race at the 1998 Nagano Games, where he collapsed in exhaustion after skiing for over two hours to win by just eight seconds.
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Who has the most Summer Olympics gold medals?
Michael Phelps holds the undisputed record for the most Summer Olympics gold medals, with a staggering 23 career golds.
Phelps’ 13 individual gold medals alone would place him ahead of every other athlete in history for total gold medals.
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Who has the most gold medals in one Olympics?
Phelps holds the absolute record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games. He won 8 gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, surpassing the previous record of seven set by Mark Spitz in 1972.
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Winter Olympics
Winter records are generally lower because there are fewer events and team relays per sport compared to the Summer Games. Eric Heiden’s feat is especially rare, as he swept all five individual speed skating distances in a single year.
Currently, Klaebo is the only active athlete with a chance to challenge this list during the 2026 Games.
Summer Olympics
legendary Summer performances are dominated by swimmers who leveraged multiple events and relays to reach high gold counts. Phelps’ perfect eight-for-eight run in Beijing remains the absolute pinnacle of Olympic dominance.