The Nordic Update: 2018 Winter Oympics in PyeongChang

The 2018 Winter Olympics are heating up thanks to a talented and tenacious group of Nordic athletes.

Norway, the historical winner of all the Winter Olympic games (with a total of 350+ medals!), is currently in first place. Trailing shortly behind is Germany, Canada, Netherlands, and France.

Norway

13 Gold

1. Aksel Lund Svindal – Men’s Downhill
2. Johannes Thingnes Boe – Men’s 20km Individual
3. Simen Hegstad Kreuger – Men’s 15 km Individual + 15 km Skiathlon
4. Norway – Men’s 4 x 10km Relay
5. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo – Men’s Sprint Classic
6. Norway – Men’s Team Sprint Free
7. Ragnhild Haga – Ladies’ 10km Free
8. Norway – Ladies’ 4 x 5km Relay
9. Oystein Braaten – Men’s Ski Slopestyle
10. Norway – Men’s Team Ski Jumping
11. Maren Lundby – Ladies’ Normal Hill Individual Ski Jumping
12. Harvard Lorentzen – Men’s 500m Speed Skating
13. Norway – Men’s Team Pursuit Speed Skating

One of Norway’s most exciting wins was the 4x10km relay, when Norwegian teammates Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Simen Hegstad Krüger, Martin Johnsrud Sundby, and Didrik Tønseth beat the Russian team by 10 seconds.

14 Silver

1. Kjetil Jansrud – Men’s Downhill Alpine Skiing
2. Henrik Kristoffersen – Men’s Giant Slalom
3. Ragnhild Mowinckel – Ladies’ Downhill Alpine Skiing
4. Ragnhild Mowinckel – Ladies’ Giant Slalom
5. Marte Olsbu – Women’s 7.5km Sprint Biathlon
6. Norway – 2x6km Women + 2×7.5km Men Mixed Relay Biathlon
7. Martin Johnsrud Sundby – Men’s 15km cross-country skiing + 15km Skiathlon
8. Simen Hegstad Kreuger – Men’s 15km Free
9. Marit Bjoergren – Ladies’ 7.5km + 7.5km Skiathlon
10. Maiken Caspersen Falla – Ladies’ Sprint Classic
11. Johann Andre Forfang – Men’s Normal Hill Individual
12. Norway– Nordic Combined Team large hill/4×5km
13. Håvard Lorentzen – Speedskating Men’s 1000 m
14. Norway – Biathlon Men’s relay

10 Bronze 

1. Robert Johansson – Men’s normal hill individual ski jumping
2. Sverre Lunde Pedersen – Men’s 5000m speed skating
3. Hans Christer Holund – skiing Men’s 30 km skiathlon
4. Marit Bjørgen – Women’s 10-kilometer freestyle cross-country skiing
5. Kjetil Jansrud  – Men’s super-G alpine skiing
6. Tiril Eckhoff – Women’s mass start biathlon
7. Robert Johansson –  Men’s large hill individual ski jumping
8. Emil Hegle Svendsen – Men’s mass start biathlon
9. Marit Bjørgen & Maiken Caspersen – Falla Women’s team sprint
10. Kristin Skaslien, Magnus Nedregotten – Curling Mixed doubles

What makes Norway such a winning team? Their secret to success is actually a formula of long, snowy winters; a high GDP that supports state of the art training facilities; the genuine friendship between teammates; and humor – there’s an old folk saying that “In Norway, kids are born with skis on their feet.”

“I think we are lucky to be on this team,” said Klaebo, the youngest member of the Norwegian team. “… To be able to take the gold is unbelievable.”

FUN FACT: On 6 February 2018, before the games, the Norwegian Olympic Team chefs inadvertently ordered 15,000 eggs from South Korea because of a Google Translate error. They only wanted 1,500 eggs. 

Sweden

Sweden, who is currently in 12th place on the Olympics standings, is also having a very exciting time. The Swedish men’s curling team, led by skip Niklas Edin, is the only undefeated team in the tournament. “I am not surprised we are playing well but I am surprised we are both undefeated so far,” Edin said, “because that takes a lot at the Olympic Games to not lose any games… We have to try to keep it up and keep our focus out there.”

Edin and his team will be facing off against the USA tomorrow in a race for the gold medal. With the way things are currently going, there’s a very good chance that they’ll raise their gold medal count to 6!

5 Gold

1. Charlotte Kalla – Cross-country Women’s 15 km skiathlon
2. Stina Nilsson – Cross-country Women’s sprint
3. Hanna Öberg – Women’s individual biathlon
4. Frida Hansdotter – Women’s slalom
5. André Myhrer – Men’s slalom
6. Sweden – Biathlon Men’s Relay

5 Silver

1. Sebastian Samuelsson – Men’s pursuit
2. Charlotte Kalla – Women’s 10 km freestyle
3. Sweden  Women’s 4×5 km relay
4. Charlotte Kalla, Stina Nilsson – Women’s team sprint
5. Sweden – Women’s biathlon relay

Finland

A few spots below is Finland at number 19. Although they haven’t won a gold medal yet, Finland has already racked up four bronze medals – two of which were won by cross-country skier Krista Pärmäkoski in the Women’s 15-kilometer skiathlon and Women’s 10-kilometer freestyle.

4 Bronze

1. Krista Pärmäkoski – Women’s 15-kilometer skiathlon
2. Enni Rukajärvi – Women’s slopestyle
3. Krista Pärmäkoski – Women’s 10-kilometer freestyle
4. Finland women’s national ice hockey team – Women’s tournament

Iceland & Denmark

Although Iceland has not won any medals yet, they are currently competing in two sports: Alpine skiing and Cross-country skiing. The final Nordic country to compete, Denmark, is involved in five sports: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Curling, Freestyle skiing, and Speedskating. Although they haven’t won any medals yet either, we wish them (and all of the countries) luck and a successful time at the Olympics!