Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo’s Quest for Olympic Gold

In the majestic Dolomites, Norwegian cross-country skiing sensation, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, finds himself amidst immense pressure. Known as the “King” of his sport, Klaebo has already claimed five Olympic golds, just three shy of matching the all-time record. He is the current world champion across six cross-country events. This February, in the picturesque town of Tesero, part of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Klaebo is attempting an extraordinary challenge—securing six gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.

To manage expectations and create a comforting routine during his intensive schedule, Klaebo turns to video games like the first-person shooter “Battlefield.” This activity provides him with much-needed relaxation and mental respite.

The 29-year-old athlete travels with his gaming console and screen, integral parts of his decompression strategy amidst intense competition. “I need the nerves to be able to perform at my highest level, and in the evenings, I just try to play a little bit online with my friends back home and talk about different things than skiing,” Klaebo explained. However, his initial days in Tesero were challenging because of poor internet connectivity. “The conclusion was that the internet was a bit too weak,” he recounted, emphasizing his dependence on a stable connection for relaxation and adding humor about involving Italy’s infrastructure to resolve the issue.

Cross-country skiing is an endurance sport, demanding resilience and high physical exertion from its athletes. Yet, the absence of his digital sanctuary was a significant disruption for Klaebo. Fellow athletes like Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, a Norwegian biathlon competitor, also find solace in gaming. Dale-Skjevdal shared, “I’m taking lives in the virtual world… In my first room, the internet was bad, so I took Arild Monsen’s room and it was a little better.” Dale-Skjevdal reassures that despite gaming, he manages sufficient rest, going to bed on time.

Even with connectivity issues, nothing has halted Klaebo’s stellar performance. He clinched a gold medal in the skiathlon on Sunday and another in Tuesday’s sprint classic final, demonstrating remarkable speed and stamina. Securing one more victory would place Klaebo alongside three other Norwegians holding the record for winter Olympic gold medals.

After winning his seventh career gold on Sunday, Klaebo modestly stated, “I guess I will celebrate with some evening games,” underscoring his embrace of a familiar routine amidst his monumental success.

Andrew Greif reports for NBC News Digital, focusing on sports journalism.