Norway's Marit Bjoergen becomes most successful Winter Olympian ever

Bjoergen's bronze with Maiken Caspersen Falla in women's cross country skiing team sprint free put her on 14 Olympic medals, outstripping fellow Norwegian Ole Einar Bjoerndalen who has 13 in biathlon.

Marit Bjoergen (top) after winning bronze medal for Norway in women's cross country team sprint free (Photo: Twitter)

Pyeongchang: Norway's Marit Bjoergen became the most successful athlete in Winter Olympics history on Wednesday as she took bronze behind a stunning win for USA in cross country skiing's women's team sprint free. 

Bjoergen's bronze with Maiken Caspersen Falla put her on 14 Olympic medals, outstripping fellow Norwegian Ole Einar Bjoerndalen who has 13 in biathlon. 

Bjoergen, 37, is also the second most successful woman at either the Summer or Winter Games, trailing only Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina who compiled 18 medals. 

Kikkan Randall and Jessica Diggins celebrated ecstatically as they edged Sweden by 0.19 sec to win the first Olympic cross country title for the United States. 

Norway's Martin Johnsrud Sundby and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the men's title by 1.71 sec ahead of the Olympic Athletes from Russia, with France finishing third.