Klaebo’s golden record & Olympic thrillers: Milano Cortina heats up on Day 7

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina delivered a breathtaking mix of historic achievement, underdog glory, and intense competition on Friday, 13 February , as fans were treated to one of the most exciting days of the Games so far.

In perhaps the biggest headline of the day, Norwegian cross‑country skiing superstar Johannes Høsflot Klaebo carved his name deeper into Olympic history by winning the men’s 10 km freestyle , his eighth career Winter Olympic gold medal , tying the all‑time record among Winter Olympians. Undeterred by challenging course conditions and warmer weather that tested athletes’ endurance, Klaebo’s tactical mastery in the interval start race underscored his status as one of the sport’s all‑time greats.

Australia celebrated a breakthrough moment of its own as Josie Baff stormed to gold in the women’s snowboard cross final , edging Czech rival Eva Adamczykova by just hundredths of a second in a thrilling finish. The bronze medal for Italian favorite Michela Moioli sent the home crowd into raptures.

The drama wasn’t limited to racing and skiing. In curling’s round‑robin sessions, Italy’s men’s team continued their solid start with a key victory, while the U.S. women notched a historic 9–8 win over Canada , their first Olympic victory against the Canadians in the sport’s history.

Beyond these podium moments, the ice arenas and rinks were scenes of fierce rivalry, with hockey preliminaries featuring strong showings from teams like Finland and Sweden in Group B play, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

Other standout narratives continued to unfold throughout the day. The overall medal race tightened , with the United States maintaining a strong tally across disciplines, while figure skating fans looked forward to tonight’s men’s free skate , where U.S. phenom Ilia Malinin is tipped as a medal favorite.

Friday’s action exemplified the Olympic spirit, records were challenged, history rewritten, and new stars emerged. With several high‑stakes finals yet to come later in the weekend, the Milano Cortina Games are building toward an unforgettable crescendo.