Ben Ogden Breaks 50-Year US Men's Cross-Country Skiing Medal Drought with Olympic Silver
American cross-country skier Ben Ogden has made history at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, ending a five-decade medal drought for US men in the sport. The 25-year-old from Vermont claimed silver in the men's sprint classic on Tuesday, delivering the most significant result for American men's cross-country skiing since Bill Koch's silver medal in 1976.
A Dream Realised Through Determination
Ogden finished the final in 3 minutes 40.61 seconds, less than a second behind Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo who secured his seventh career Olympic gold with a time of 3:39.74. Klæbo's teammate Oskar Opstad Vike completed the podium with bronze after climbing from 20th position in qualifying.
"It's an unbelievable dream come true," Ogden said immediately after his historic performance. "Everybody who races dreams of being on an Olympic podium. Last year I really dared to set my expectations on an Olympic medal. Every day in training I thought about how I could get better and be the best version of myself on this course."
Vermont Roots and Family Legacy
The Vermont native becomes only the second American man ever to win an Olympic cross-country skiing medal, following in the footsteps of fellow Vermonter Bill Koch who earned silver in the 30km event at the 1976 Innsbruck Games. Ogden's skiing journey began in childhood through his father John, a former Middlebury skier who coached in Vermont's Bill Koch Youth Ski League network.
Winters for the Ogden family meant daily time on skis with trails groomed into fields near their home, creating what Ben has described as a normal upbringing that emphasised enjoyment over results. Coaches have credited this balanced environment with shaping Ogden's distinctive racing style and mental approach to competition.
Methodical Progression to the Podium
A three-time NCAA champion at the University of Vermont, Ogden built his medal-winning performance through careful progression during Tuesday's competition. He qualified second fastest in the morning round, won his quarter-final in 3:26.10, then advanced from the semi-final as a lucky loser after finishing just 0.60 seconds behind Klæbo in a photo-finish chase for automatic qualification.
"It's a dream," Ogden said of racing against Klæbo, who now moves closer to the record of eight cross-country skiing gold medals held by Norwegian legends Marit Bjoergen and Bjorn Dæhlie. "When you know you have to face Johannes in every race, you have to bring the best version of yourself. He wins a lot of races, but it doesn't mean one of us can't give him a run for his money. Today I did my best – he was better. Maybe next time."
Knitting Needles and Mental Preparation
Away from the snow, Ogden has become known among teammates for his knitting habit, which he credits with helping him decompress during the demanding World Cup and championship schedule. His current project involves creating mittens featuring Joan of Arc, continuing a tradition that helps him maintain mental balance.
"It's a great way to relax," Ogden explained after his medal-winning performance. "It won't be easy to come down and try to fall asleep tonight. After a day like today, my knitting needles are probably waiting for me."
Ogden joins a growing list of Olympians who have taken up knitting, including British diver Tom Daley who went viral for his between-events knitting at the Tokyo Games, and several US teammates including Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern who have spoken about making sweaters and hats.
Transforming American Men's Cross-Country Skiing
This historic silver medal represents the first by an American man in any individual Olympic cross-country sprint event and marks a dramatic improvement for a US men's program that had never previously finished higher than 19th in an Olympic classical sprint. The breakthrough comes amid steady growth across American cross-country skiing, traditionally driven by women's success but increasingly reinforced by a younger men's core including Ogden and fellow rising contender Gus Schumacher.
Both 24-year-old skiers have helped shift expectations for US men from simply competing to targeting podium positions – a transformation Ogden attributes to team culture. "We all grew up racing each other," he said last year. "Now it's about pushing each other to get better. We want to take this team to the next level."
Vermont Support and Future Prospects
Ogden was roared on by dozens of supporters who made the journey to Val di Fiemme from his hometown of Landgrove, Vermont, which has a population of just 177 people. "There's all kinds of people here from Vermont," Ogden said. "My mom is here. A bunch of people from my hometown are here. If I wasn't doing this I'd be over there celebrating with them. I'm just excited I was able to put on a good show with so many Vermonters here and watching back home."
The silver medal capped a strong day for American cross-country skiing overall, with all four US women – Jessie Diggins, Julia Kern, Sammy Smith and Lauren Jortberg – advancing from qualifying into the quarter-finals. Kern matched the best Olympic result by an American in the women's event with a sixth-place finish, while Diggins competed despite managing bruised ribs from the skiathlon.
Ogden is expected to compete in additional distance events later in the Games as the United States looks to build on one of its most significant Olympic cross-country results in decades, marking a new era for American men's skiing on the world stage.
