Incredible: World Championship Drama over Gold

Millimeter-Drama um Goldmedaille

Ebba Anderson engages in an incredible sprint finish for World Championship gold against Norway's cross-country queen Therese Johaug. The battle for the medal podium is just as intense, as the German team sees a positive surprise from the U23 women's champion.

It doesn't get much closer than this! Usually, in tight finishes, the athletes at least have a strong sense of who crossed the line first, but in this case, both protagonists of the World Championship skiathlon thriller in Trondheim were uncertain.

In the end, the photo finish revealed that Swedish title defender Ebba Andersson pushed her ski forward at the perfect moment, narrowly crossing the finish line just millimeters ahead of Norway's 14-time world champion Johaug.

To the dismay of King Harald and Queen Sonja, who passionately watched from the stands, Anderson edged out Johaug after each had completed 10 km in both classic and freestyle.

"Anderson. Incredible. Ebba Anderson defends her title," shouted Eurosport commentator Marc Rohde. Moments later, pictures emerged of a tearful Anderson being embraced by her Swedish teammates, overwhelmed with joy.

Score-Drama with Happy End for Sundling

The bronze medal went to Anderson's teammate Jonna Sundling (+10.2 seconds), who had won the sprint competition on Thursday. Sundling had her own drama, as she fell in a corner just before the final lap, taking down Norwegian Heidi Weng with her.

Up until that point, both Sundling and Weng were keeping pace with Andersson and Johaug. Had the outstanding sprinter Sundling managed to maintain contact until the end, the gold medal would have likely been hers.

Nordic Ski World Championship: Carl Secures Top 10 Position

Olympic team sprint champion Victoria Carl came in as the best German at ninth place, finishing with a time of 1:44 minutes behind. "I felt in the first round as if it was a full sprint," Carl said. "I rallied again at the finish, which is motivating."

U23 World Champion Helen Hoffmann ran a strong race as well, placing twelfth. "I am definitely satisfied, but there is room for improvement - I want to win sometime too," she noted. Pia Fink and Katherine Sauerbrey finished in 20th and 21st place, respectively.

Curiously, during the material swap at halftime, Norwegian Astrid Öyre Slind accidentally kicked away her evidently well-waxed ski and had to painstakingly recover it. This mishap caused her to lose contact with Johaug and company, and her chance at a medal was lost.

Johaug Tries to Break Away – Andersson Stays On Track

Despite the continuous rain, the atmosphere was festive again on Sunday, with around 40,000 spectators gathered at the Granasen ski center, including Norway's royal couple. In the drizzle-soaked snow, the top female athletes from Norway and Sweden set an exceptionally high pace right from the start.

Johaug, who returned to competition as a mother after retiring post-Olympics 2022, attempted to pull away on the climbs step by step. However, Andersson stayed strong and ultimately rejoiced in the great rivalry between the Nordic ski nations.

Johaug had won the World Championship skiathlon in 2015, 2019, and 2021. Her compatriot Marit Björgen had also clinched gold in the mixed style three times in 2011, 2013, and 2017. Norway's winning streak was halted during Johaug's absence when Anderson triumphed in 2023.

Article sourced from Sport-Informations-Dienst (SID)