Vermont's Ogden Ends 50-Year U.S. Men's Olympic Skiing Medal Drought

Ogden's silver medal in the classic sprint race marks the first Olympic medal for an American man since 1976.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Vermont's Ben Ogden won the silver medal in the classic sprint race at the XXV Winter Olympics in Italy, ending a 50-year Olympic medal drought for the U.S. men's cross-country ski team. Ogden impressed with his powerful bursts of speed, charming smile, and a celebratory backflip on the podium. His triumph was the product of the gradual but emphatic growth of men's skiing in the United States over the last several years, with Ogden and other Alaskan skiers like Gus Schumacher and Luke Jager winning World Junior medals as a relay team starting in 2018.

Why it matters

Ogden's silver medal is a significant milestone for the U.S. men's cross-country ski team, which had not won an Olympic medal since 1976. This achievement highlights the steady progress and rising competitiveness of American male skiers on the global stage, providing inspiration for the next generation of U.S. cross-country skiing talent.

The details

In the 2018 World Junior Championships, a relay team of Ogden and three Anchorage skiers - Gus Schumacher, Luke Jager, and Hunter Wonders - won the silver medal, becoming the first American men to medal at the prestigious championships. The next year, the same team won gold. In 2020, they won gold again by a large margin. These relay performances showed the Americans were ready to take on the world's best. Since then, Schumacher and Ogden have become consistent top-10 finishers on the World Cup circuit, with Schumacher becoming the first American man to win a World Cup distance race in 41 years in 2024.

  • On Tuesday, Ogden won the silver medal in the classic sprint race at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
  • In 2018, Ogden and three Alaskan skiers won silver in the World Junior Championships relay.
  • In 2019, the same team won gold in the World Junior Championships relay.
  • In 2020, the same team won gold again in the World Junior Championships relay by a large margin.
  • In February 2024, Gus Schumacher became the first American man to win a World Cup distance race in 41 years.

The players

Ben Ogden

A Vermont skier who won the silver medal in the classic sprint race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, ending a 50-year Olympic medal drought for the U.S. men's cross-country ski team.

Gus Schumacher

An Anchorage skier who has finished in the top 10 of World Cup races more than 20 times, and in 2024 became the first American man to win a World Cup distance race in 41 years.

Luke Jager

An Anchorage skier who was part of the American relay team that won gold medals at the 2019 and 2020 World Junior Championships.

Hunter Wonders

An Anchorage skier who was part of the American relay team that won the silver medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships.

Johnny Hagenbuch

An Alaskan skier who replaced Hunter Wonders on the American relay team that won gold at the 2019 and 2020 World Junior Championships.

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What they’re saying

“The night before we were making jokes that all the stars would have to align and that's exactly what happened. It feels amazing to be part of a big step in improving our men's skiing.”

— Hunter Wonders (alaskasportsreport.com)

“I've been saying I promised my 15-year-old self that I would do that if I was ever on an Olympic podium, and I got up there and was, like, now is the moment. I practiced that a lot when I was little.”

— Ben Ogden (alaskasportsreport.com)

“I probably would have broke my neck had I attempted a backflip, so I stayed on the safe side. I asked Ben now if he can (teach) me, so this summer I will try to go to the U.S. and have a camp with them and be able to learn it.”

— Johannes Klaebo (alaskasportsreport.com)

“I hope it gives the future of the sport in the U.S. a big boost. I know that Bill Koch winning his medal gave a big boost to all the young skiers and all the people who dreamed that the U.S. could be champions in cross country skiing. I hope that this will propel us into the next 50 years.”

— Ben Ogden (alaskasportsreport.com)

What’s next

The women's 10-kilometer interval-start freestyle race is scheduled for early Thursday morning, featuring three APU skiers - Kendall Kramer, Hailey Swirbul, and Novie McCabe. The men's 10-kilometer interval-start freestyle race will take place early Friday morning, with the lineup to be determined on Thursday.

The takeaway

Ogden's silver medal triumph marks a significant milestone for U.S. men's cross-country skiing, ending a 50-year Olympic medal drought and providing inspiration for the next generation of American skiers. The steady progress and rising competitiveness of the U.S. men's team, exemplified by their relay success at the World Junior Championships, has set the stage for this historic achievement.