It was a backflip worthy Olympic moment.
Ben Ogden broke the U.S. men’s 50-year cross-country skiing Olympic drought Tuesday by winning silver in the sprint event at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Lago, Italy.
Ogden did a backflip off the podium following the medal ceremony to celebrate his accomplishment.
It has been a longstanding tradition for the 25-year-old.
“I used to do the backflip off podiums in high school, and I told myself, ‘If I ever get on an Olympic podium I’ll do it,’ ” he explained after the race.
“It felt a little show-boaty in the moment, but sometimes in life you have to satisfy your 15-year-old self. And I accomplished that just now.”
The last time an American man medaled in a cross-country ski event at the Olympics was when Bill Koch won silver in 1976.
It is fitting that Ogden would make history after Koch, who did it in the 30-kilometer race in Innsbruck, Austria, as the two were neighbors in Vermont.
“Ben used to ski in Bill Koch’s backyard,” Ogden’s mother, Andrea, said per The Athletic. “It feels surreal.”
Ogden, who crossed the finish line at 3:40.61, followed Norway’s seven-time gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who had a time of 3:39.74.
Fellow Norwegian, Oskar Opstad Vike, claimed bronze seconds later (3:46.55).
“It’s an unbelievable dream come true,” the Vermont native said. “Everybody who races dreams of being on an Olympic podium.
“It’s the ultimate goal, and I feel like this last year, I’ve dared to set my expectations on an Olympic podium.”
2026 WINTER OLYMPICS
Klaebo is chasing a sweep of the entire men’s cross-country skiing program at the Milan Cortina Games and is one gold medal away from the Winter Olympics record shared by three athletes.
“He wins a lot of races, for sure, but it doesn’t mean that one of us can’t come and give him a run for his money,” Ogden said. “Today I did my best, but he bested me — no surprise there — but maybe next time I’ll get on top.”
Ogden’s victory is a notable moment for the U.S. men’s cross-country skiing team, which has struggled in comparison to their counterparts.
The women’s program has shined with the successes of three-time Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall after the two helped the U.S. win its first gold medal in 2018.
However, Ogden is leading this new group of American men into the conversation, including J.C. Schoonmacher, who finished eighth Tuesday, and Gus Schumacher, who placed 31st.
