Heidi Weng beats Therese Johaug in nail-biting finish: 'No one expected that'

In a closely contested race, Heidi Weng triumphed over Therese Johaug in a nail-biting 10 km skate event, winning by the narrow margin of six hundredths of a second. Yesterday, Johaug had previously dominated Weng by nearly 40 seconds in the classic race, setting the stage for an exciting rematch that left spectators on edge.

After the race, a panting Weng expressed her surprise, stating, "I don't think anyone expected this. I was very eager for revenge and felt I had taken a step forward from yesterday. My face was so cold that I could hardly talk," when NRK offered her a microphone just moments after crossing the finish line.

Weng had openly declared her desire to beat Johaug prior to the race, providing additional motivation. Despite revealing that 97% of readers in a poll believed Johaug would emerge victorious, Weng defied the odds.

Leading up to the finish, Weng gained a couple of seconds early in the race, maintaining her lead while Johaug struggled with her technique on the snowy course. Johaug herself commented on her difficulties, admitting she had trouble with her equipment and was unable to find her rhythm on the course.

The snow was heavy in Beitostølen, making conditions challenging. With Weng overtaking Astrid Öyre Slind, she stayed ahead of Johaug, despite having her lead shrink to just two tenths of a second at one point of the race. Johaug was left reflecting on the importance of the victory for Weng, who she applauded for her dedication and hard work leading up to this win.