Norwegian Skier Makes Olympic History; US Women Set Records at Milan Games

Norway's Johannes Klaebo made Winter Olympics history by capturing six gold medals in cross-country skiing at the Milan Cortina Games. American women athletes are driving Team USA's success with record-breaking performances across multiple events.

Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has etched his name in Winter Olympics history books after achieving an unprecedented clean sweep at the Milan Cortina Games. The athlete claimed his sixth gold medal on Saturday by winning the men’s 50-kilometer mass start event, surpassing Eric Heiden’s decades-old record of five gold medals at a single Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, American speedskating sensation Jordan Stolz placed fourth in the men’s mass start competition, trailing behind Netherlands veteran Jorrit Bergsma, who at 40 years old became the oldest male athlete to claim speedskating gold. Team USA reached a milestone of their own, earning their 11th gold medal of these Games – a new Winter Olympics record for the nation. The historic achievement came courtesy of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran, and Chris Lillis in the mixed aerials event.

Female athletes are driving much of America’s medal success at the Milan Cortina Olympics, establishing new benchmarks in the process. As of Saturday, with one day remaining in competition, American women have secured six gold medals and 17 total medals in women’s competitions – both new records for US Winter Games participation. Including mixed-gender events, that tally rises to 21 medals, with more than 40 American women earning at least one medal in Italy. Notable victories include the women’s hockey team’s triumph over Canada, along with wins in Alpine skiing, monobob, figure skating, and freestyle moguls. Athletes credit this success with inspiring future generations of competitors.

Sunday’s final day of competition features several marquee events, including the men’s hockey gold medal showdown between the United States and Canada. Eileen Gu will compete for her first gold of the 2026 Games in the rescheduled women’s freeski halfpipe final. Additional medals will be determined in cross-country skiing, curling, and bobsled before the closing ceremony concludes the Games.

In baseball news, Pittsburgh Pirates legend Bill Mazeroski passed away at age 89, the team announced Saturday. The Hall of Fame second baseman, who died Friday, earned eight Gold Glove awards for his defensive excellence and became a Pittsburgh icon after hitting the game-winning home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. Pirates owner Bob Nutting called Mazeroski “one of a kind, a true Pirates legend.” The organization retired his number 9 in 1987 and installed a statue in his honor on Bill Mazeroski Way in 2010.

English Premier League action saw both Aston Villa and Chelsea stumble in their respective matches. Villa’s title hopes took a hit after managing only a 1-1 draw at home against relegation-threatened Leeds, with substitute Tammy Abraham scoring an 88th-minute equalizer to salvage a point for Unai Emery’s squad. The result could see Villa fall further behind leaders Arsenal and Manchester City, with City facing Newcastle later Saturday and Arsenal visiting Tottenham on Sunday. Chelsea also settled for a 1-1 draw against struggling Burnley.

College basketball’s NCAA Tournament picture became clearer as the selection committee revealed preliminary seedings. Michigan earned the top overall seed, joined by Duke, Arizona, and Iowa State as number one seeds in their respective regions. The Cyclones secured the final top seed ahead of UConn and Houston. This early ranking provides insight into tournament positioning with less than a month until Selection Sunday on March 15, leading to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

In upset fashion, Cincinnati stunned eighth-ranked Kansas 84-68 behind Moustapha Thiam’s career-best 28 points. The 7-foot center connected on 11 of 17 field goal attempts and grabbed eight rebounds, marking Cincinnati’s second victory over a ranked opponent this season after defeating then-number two Iowa State 79-70 on January 17. Baba Miller contributed 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds for the Bearcats. Kansas was led by Flory Bidunga’s 18 points and 12 rebounds, while freshman Darryn Peterson added 17 points.

Seventeenth-ranked St. John’s dominated Creighton 81-52 to extend their winning streak to 13 games – the program’s longest such run in 41 years. Bryce Hopkins recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Dylan Darling scored 17 points off the bench and Zuby Ejiofor added 15 for the Red Storm. The team controlled the game from start to finish and limited Creighton to 32% shooting before 19,328 fans at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s last won 13 consecutive games during a 19-game streak in 1984-85 under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca.

Spring training is underway for the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with superstar Shohei Ohtani scheduled to appear in select Cactus League games before joining Japan’s World Baseball Classic roster. Ohtani was set to lead off as designated hitter in the team’s spring opener against the Angels, expecting two or three at-bats. Reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was slated to start and pitch two innings.

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami is preparing for another championship run just months after capturing their first MLS Cup title. The club has assembled what may be the strongest roster in Major League Soccer history as they begin a season that culminates with the World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Messi recently became the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards, but he’s supported by an impressive supporting cast as Miami aims to repeat as champions.