ZHANGJIAKOU /China/, February 16. /TASS/. Russian cross-country skiers Alexander Bolshunov and Alexander Terentyev won bronze on Wednesday at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China in men’s team sprint classic event.
The gold in the race was coined by Norway’s Erik Valnes and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo with the result of 19 minutes 22.99 seconds and the silver was bagged by the Finnish duo of Iivo Niskanen and Joni Maki, who crossed the finish line 2.46 seconds behind the winners of the competition.
This is Bolshunov’s 4th medal of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. He previously won two gold medals - in men’s skiathlon event and in men’s 4x10km relay competition - and one silver in men’s 15km classic race. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, the Russian cross-country skier won three silver and one bronze medals.
He is also the 2021 World Champion in skiathlon in addition to his six silver and one bronze medals won at the World Championships.
Bolshunov is the first Russian cross-country skier to win the Olympic Games (2022), the World Championship (2021) and the World Cup series.
Team ROC (the Russian Olympic Committee) is currently 9th in the overall medal standings of the 2022 Olympics boasting four gold, eight silver and 11 bronze medals (23 in total).
Team Norway tops the 2022 Winter Olympics medal standings with 13 gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals (28 in total). Germany is 2nd with 10 gold, six silver and four bronze medals (20 in total). Team USA is in 3rd place with eight gold, seven silver and four bronze medals (19 in total).
The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in the Chinese capital of Beijing are running on February 4-20. During the 128th IOC session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015, Beijing was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games making the Chinese capital the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2008) as well as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2022).
Russian athletes at Beijing-2022
Due to international sanctions against Russian sports, athletes from Russia are competing in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing under the flag and logo of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) instead of the Russian national flag and state emblem.
The national anthem of Russia is also under sanctions at the Olympics in China. The First Piano Concerto by Pyotr Tchaikovsky was selected to be played at awarding ceremonies for Russian Olympians in Beijing.