By Amy Held
The first medals of the Games were awarded to the women’s cross-country 15-kilometer skiathlon athletes. From left, Norway’s Marit Bjoergen, silver; Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla, gold; and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski, bronze, pose during their medals ceremony in at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang
Patrick Semansky/AP
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Patrick Semansky/AP
Sweden won the first gold medal of the Winter Games on Saturday, but the United States and Norway also made history on a blustery and bitter cold day in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Swedish cross-country skiier Charlotte Kalla won top honors in the women’s 15-kilometer skiathlon with a finishing time of 40:44.9.
Wohoo, ski queen Charlotte Kalla wins Sweden’s first Olympic gold medal! Congrats! ???? pic.twitter.com/IUNhSdTjC5
— Sweden.se (@swedense) February 10, 2018
Norway’s Marit Bjoergen came in fewer than eight seconds behind to take silver, adding to her trove of 10 prior Olympic medals, making her the most decorated female Winter Olympian of all time.
In 2014’s Sochi Winter Games, at the age of 33 and 324 days, Bjoergen became the oldest individual female gold medalist in the sport.
On Saturday, the 37-year-old acknowledged that her age may be catching up with her. “I have been very good for many years but I’m also getting older and the younger girls are getting better,” she said, reports The Associated Press.
Finland’s Krista Parmakoski rounded out the top three with Sweden’s Ebba Andersson finishing fourth.
With a clean sweep for The Netherlands, gold medallist Carlijn Achtereekte, (center), jumps for joy as silver medallist Ireen Wust, (left), and bronze medallist Antoinette de Jong, (right), watch during the flower ceremony of the women’s 3,000 meters race at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Petr David Josek/AP
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Petr David Josek/AP
And it was American Jessica Diggins, 26, who broke the Scandinavian dominance with a time of 40:59.6.
While her time fell short of a medal, Diggins’ fifth place finish represented another history-making moment — it was the best ever for an American woman in the sport.
ESPN reports Diggins is scheduled to race again Tuesday in the women’s individual sprint.
“It was really cool being seconds away from a medal, and seeing it right there,” Diggins said. “I know it’s possible. I know I have what it takes.”
#ICYMI: @jessdiggs made #TeamUSA history last night with her 5??th place finish! ??
?? https://t.co/znBmAyBvFApic.twitter.com/mE5HMPlGL8— U.S. Olympic Team (@TeamUSA) February 10, 2018
Also Saturday, host country South Korea got the chance to celebrate one of its own, when Lim Hyojun won gold in the men’s short track speed skating. ESPN reports that it was actually Hwang Dae-heon who had been heavily favored to win, but his crash in the final allowed his compatriot to overtake him.
The Netherlands’ Sjinkie Knegt took silver. And Semen Elistratov won bronze, giving Russia its first medal, although Elistratov is competing under the Olympic flag, in accordance with the rules the IOC instated following Russia’s doping scandal.
In the women’s 3,000 meter speed skating, the Netherlands made a clean sweep taking all three of the top spots.
Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier won the first biathlon gold of the Games in the women’s 7.5-kilometer sprint. And German Andreas Wellinger won the men’s normal hill title. He said the harsh conditions may actually have helped him nail his jump of 113.5 meters.
“The wind was quite good,” Wellinger told ESPN.
And while the Korean women’s ice hockey team may embody lofty hopes around reunification, they were trounced by Switzerland Saturday. The gaze of South Korea’s president and the sister of the North Korean leader, alongside the choreographed moves of the famed North Korean cheerleaders couldn’t help elicit a single goal; the Swiss won eight to zero.