OWG PyeongChang 2018 - Men's 4 x 10 km relay preview
Aug 31, 2018·Cross-Country
PYEONGCHANG - Sweden could become the first NOC to claim three consecutive Olympic titles in the men's 4x10km relay, which is held on Sunday 18 February at Alpensia Cross-Country Centre.
Sweden won the men's 4x10km relay at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and at Sochi 2014. Only Norway (1998-2002) and Sweden itself (1984-1988) also managed to claim back-to-back Olympic titles in this event.
Sweden (G2-S0-B1) is the only NOC to have reached the podium in the men's 4x10km relay in each of the last three editions of the Olympic Winter Games and could equal its Olympic best of reaching the podium four times in a row, set between 1936 and 1956.
Marcus HELLNER (SWE) and Daniel RICKARDSSON (SWE) both won gold in this event in 2010 and 2014 and could become the first athletes to claim three Olympic titles in the men's 4x10km relay. They currently share the record of two gold medals with seven other athletes.
Johan OLSSON (SWE, G2-S0-B1) is the only athlete representing Sweden with more Olympic medals in the men's 4x10km relay than HELLNER (G2-S0-B0) and RICKARDSSON (G2-S0-B0).
Norway finished fourth in 2014 and could miss out on the podium in consecutive Olympic Winter Games for the first time since 1984 (4th) and 1988 (6th).
Norway has won all six relay events in major competition (World Cup, world championships) since their fourth-place finish in the 4x10km relay at Sochi 2014. Martin Johnsrud SUNDBY (NOR) was part of the Norway team in five of these six victories.
Norway won the ladies' relay on Saturday 17 February and can become the first NOC to win the men's and ladies' relay at a single Olympic Winter Games for a second time, after Grenoble 1968.
The only other NOCs that won both relays at a single Olympic Winter Games are Soviet Union (Sapporo 1972) and Sweden (2014).
Norway has already won four cross-country skiing gold medals at PyeongChang 2018. The record number of gold medals won by an NOC in the sport at a single Olympic Winter Games is five, achieved on seven separate occasions, including four times by Norway (1992, 2002, 2010, 2014).
Norway could win 11 medals in cross-country skiing at a single Olympic Winter Games for the third time, after winning 11 at Salt Lake City 2002 and Sochi 2014. The record of 13 medals was set by Soviet Union at Calgary 1988.
France took bronze in the 4x10km relay in 2014 and could claim its first Olympic title in this event.
All previous 57 Olympic medals in the 4x10km relay have been won by European NOCs. The best result of a non-European NOC in this event was a fifth place finish for USA in 2002.
