‘From another world’: Karlsson doubles gold medal tally at Milano Cortina

Sweden’s Frida Karlsson won her second Olympic gold ahead of team-mate Ebba Andersson again at Milano Cortina 2026 in the Women’s Interval Start Free at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium on Thursday.

Karlsson’s spectacular performance, finishing in 22 minutes 49.2 seconds, was an impressive 46 seconds ahead of Andersson, who said her team-mate was “from another world”.

A brave performance from USA’s Jessie Diggins, who struggled through her rib injury to finish with a bronze medal, was clearly in pain holding her ribs after collapsing after the finish line.

Karlsson continued to show she is in a class of her own, having already won gold in the Women’s 10km + 10km Skiathlon on Saturday. “It was good fun,” she said after the Interval Start Free. “I just felt like I was bursting with energy out there. I felt like I was being carried along by the crowd. I didn’t really feel the pain until I crossed the line.”

“I knew exactly where I was [with my splits] pretty much all the time,” added Karlsson. “Great effort from the team leaders.”

Working with the seven-time Olympic Winter Games gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) had clearly paid off as she said:  “He was really clear with me on how to set the pace and I tried to listen to him. So I will thank him for that.”

Andersson, who also won silver behind Karlsson in the Skiathlon said: “I think I had good pace at the beginning but then on the second lap I started to struggle and that took all the energy out of my body. 

“I’m happy with this silver medal once again and really impressed with the speed Frida had out in the tracks.”

Diggins was pleased to add another bronze to the one she won Sprint Free at Beijing 2022, along with her silver in the 30km Mass Start Free in China, and gold from the Women's Team Sprint Free at PyeongChang 2018 in what is her last Olympics at Milano Cortina.

“I’m the happiest bronze medallist in the world,” said Diggins. “I’m so grateful for everyone getting me here. It’s taken a serious team effort to get to the start line and a lot of help once I got to the finish line, because I’ve been in a lot of pain.”

The athletes enjoyed good conditions with the course having been salted beforehand, and Karlsson showed her superiority over the rest of the field early on, overtaking Katharina Brudermann (AUT) by taking a wide line rather than slowing her pace.

By 1.8km, Karlsson was leading with a time of 4mins, two seconds ahead of Andersson, who had started the race one minute ahead.

The Norwegian women made a big effort to challenge the leaders but Astrid Oeyre Slind, Heidi Weng and Karoline Simpson-Larsen fell just out of the medals behind the top three.

For results of the Women’s Interval Start Free click here. For the full Cross-Country schedule for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games click here.