The last two competitions at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing became visible evidence of the Nordic countries’ sporting success at the Games. First, the Norwegian cross-country queen Therese Johaug won 30 km freestyle and a few minutes later, Finland’s national pride – “The Lions“ – became Olympic champions in ice hockey after a deserved 2-1 victory over the defending Olympic champions from Russia. Johaug’s 3rd gold medal at the Winter Games brought Norway’s total number of distinguished carats to a total of 16, which is an Olympic record. And Finland’s final victory was the first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey after 2 silver and 4 bronze medals at previous Winter Olympics. The two achievements put a nice end to the Nordic countries’ Winter Olympics 2022, where 109 medal sets were distributed in 15 different sports.
Norge – suveræn vinder af vinter-OL’s nationskonkurrence
For the past decade, Norway has been the world’s best winter sports nation, which was confirmed at the 2022 Winter Olympics with 1‘st place in the national ranking, both in terms of gold medals and total number of medals. The total number of medals was 37 (16 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze medals), which is only 2 medals less than at the Winter Olympics 2018 in PyeongChang (14 gold, 14 silver and 11 bronze), where Norway also won the national ranking. The Norwegian Olympic medals were won in 9 different sports, of which 14 medals (6 gold, 2 silver and 6 bronze medals) in biathlon, 8 medals (5 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals) in cross country and 4 medals (2 gold and 2 silver) in Nordic combined (ski jumping and cross-country skiing). The biggest Norwegian disappointment was undoubtedly that Norway only won one medal in ski jumping: Gold to Magnus Lindvik on Men‘s Large Hill. Ski jumping is a classic Norwegian sport, where it turned into 5 medals (2 gold, one silver and 2 bronze medals) at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Multiple Norwegian gold winners in biathlon and cross-country skiing
The biggest Norwegian Olympic profiles in Bejing have been the biathletes Johannes Thingnes Boe with 5 medals (4 gold and one bronze medal), Marte Olsbu Roeiseland with a total of 5 medals (3 gold and 2 bronze medals) and Tarjei Boe with 4 medals (2 gold, one silver and one bronze medal). Johannes Klaebo with 4 medals (2 gold, one silver and one bronze medal) and Therese Johaug with 3 gold medals in cross-country and Joergen Graabak in Nordic combined (ski jumping and cross-country) with 3 medals (2 gold and one silver medal) also performed as world-class athletes at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Best national ranking at the Winter Olympics ever for Sweden
Sweden also has strong traditions in many winter sports. Still, it was a surprise that the 2022 Winter Olympics became a historic highlight for Swedish winter sports. Sweden achieved with 18 medals (8 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze medals) a distinguished 5‘th place in the national ranking. The historical record, both in terms of gold medals and total number of Olympic medals, was achieved in 6 different sports. Sweden won medals in all 3 disciplines in curling: Gold for the men’s team and bronze for both the women‘s team and the mixed team. Also in free style skiing with 4 medals (2 gold and 2 bronze medals) and biathlon with 4 medals (one gold and 3 silver medals) the Swedish athletes and teams achieved impressive results.
Double Olympic gold for speed skater Nils van der Poel
The biggest Swedish Olympic profiles have been the speed skater Nils van der Poel, who became Olympic champion in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter distances, the 22-year-old Elvira Oeberg who won two individual silver medals and gold in the women’s relay in biathlon with big sister Hanna Oeberg, Linn Persson and Mona Brorsson as well as free style skiers – Walter Wallberg and Sandra Naeslund – who both became Olympic champions. Among the biggest Swedish Olympic disappointments must be mentioned the men‘s ice hockey team – “Tre Kroner“ – defeat to Slovakia – in the bronze match.
First Olympic gold medal in ice hockey for Finland
Finland achieved with 8 medals (2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals) the best winter Olympics since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, where Finland achieved 12 medals (2 gold, 4 silver and 6 bronze medals). The medal harvest was picked up in two sports: Cross-country skiing with 6 medals and the national sport – ice hockey – with bronze medals for the women’s team and Olympic gold for the men’s team, reaching a 16th place in the national ranking. Especially the gold medal in ice hockey after silver medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics and the 2006 Winter Olympics has created great enthusiasm in Finland, which in May will host the IIHF World Championship 2022 in ice hockey. Despite the fantastic results in cross-country skiing and ice hockey, the 2022 Winter Olympics also became documentation that Finland no longer has world-class athletes who compete for the medals in ski jumping, biathlon, Nordic combined or snowboarding.
Ilvo Niskanen – one of Finland’s greatest historical sports profiles
The biggest Finnish Olympic profile has – together with the two ice hockey teams – been Ilvo Niskanen, who won 3 medals: Gold medal in 15 km classic style, bronze medal in 15 km skiathlon and silver medal – together with Joni Maki – in the men’s team sprint. The 30-year-old Finn, who also won Olympic gold, both at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 Winter Olympics, has entered the performance in Beijing as one of Finland’s greatest historical sports profiles. Ilvo’s big sister – Karttu – also surprised with a silver medal in 10 km classic style together with Krista Pärmäkoski, who has now won a total of 5 medals at the last 3 Winter Olympics.
Positive Danish performance in men’s ice hockey
Denmark is not a winter sports nation, but was still represented in 5 sports at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The biggest positive Danish performance was delivered by the ice hockey team for men, who defeat the Czech Republic (world ranking 6), Switzerland (world ranking 8) and Latvia (world ranking 10) before losing 1-3 in the quarterfinals against Russia. On the other hand, the Danish achievements in curling and speed skating were very disappointing.
Best Nordic Winter Olympics ever
It is very impressive that Norway and Finland with a little more than 5 million inhabitants and Sweden with 10 million inhabitants are able to win a total of 63 medals (26 gold, 15 silver and 22 bronze medals) at the Winter Olympics 2022. There have been one or more medal winners from the Nordic countries in 43 – or almost 40% – of the 109 Olympic disciplines. The number of Olympic medals is thus significantly higher than at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where the 3 Nordic countries together won 46 medals (14 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze medals) and marginally higher than at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang , where it turned into 59 medals (22 gold, 21 silver and 16 bronze medals). It will be exciting if the Nordic countries can maintain the record-breaking number of medals at the next Winter Olympics, which will take place in Milan-Cortina 2026. There is no doubt that nations like China, Russia, Japan, Canada and Germany, which have surprised very positively with 27 medals (12 gold, 10 silver and 5 bronze medals) in Beijing and an overall 2‘nd place in the national ranking, will invest massively in winter sports – not least new sports such as speedskating, free style skiing, snowboarding and short track, where there are many medal sets to compete for.
