Therese Johaug burst into tears. © Screenshot

These tears move the cross-country skiing world

Dramatic scenes took place at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Norway on Sunday. The focus was on cross-country skiing queen Therese Johaug, who shed bitter tears.

March 02, 2025

From: det

The Norwegian Therese Johaug is perhaps the best cross-country skier there has ever been - and who ever will be. She has already won an incredible 20 medals at world championships, most of them shining in gold. And yet the 36-year-old had to fight back tears on Sunday after the 20-kilometer skiathlon at the World Championships in Trondheim.

The reason for this is a dramatic race in which Johaug missed the gold medal by just a few centimeters. The cross-country skiing queen crossed the finish line at the same time as Sweden's Ebba Andersson, but in the photo finish it was seen that Andersson crossed the finish line just ahead of Johaug. The bronze went to Sweden's Jonna Sundling.

Therese Johaug after crossing the finish line. © APA/afp / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND

Johaug had actually ended her career in March 2022, but this year she made a surprise comeback. As a mother, as she has now started a family. The multiple Olympic champion's big goal was a gold medal at the home World Championships in Norway, but she missed it - at least in the race on Sunday.

“I can only blame myself.” Therese Johaug

The journalists of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK wanted to show Johaug the photo finish after the race, but the agitated cross-country skier couldn't look at it. "I really can't do it. I didn't hit the last few pushes well. I felt good in the middle of the race, but unfortunately I messed up a bit at the end. I was just a few centimeters short. I can only blame myself," said Johaug.

The daughter causes tears

A few minutes later, away from the racing action, she began to cry. "I realized how close it all was. Now I have to cry," said Johaug, who became particularly emotional when the TV station NRK presented a photo of her daughter Kristin. She followed the race on the shoulders of her father Nils Jakob and cheered her mother on.

"I haven't seen my little girl for four weeks and it moves me to tears," said Johaug, who deliberately isolated herself from her family before the World Championships so as not to risk illness. But she will soon be able to hug her daughter again. And in terms of sport, Johaug still has a chance to win the longed-for gold at home. The World Championships in Trondheim are far from over.