U.S. cross-country star Jessie Diggins claims bronze, medaling in third straight Olympics

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3198x2132+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F01%2Fe2%2F4bb5e6de48c7a818e25cc2e41c84%2Fgettyimages-2260706860.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3198x2132+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F01%2Fe2%2F4bb5e6de48c7a818e25cc2e41c84%2Fgettyimages-2260706860.jpg" class="img" alt="USA's Jessie Diggins takes the start of the women's cross-country skiing 10km interval start free event of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Lago di Tesero (Val di Fiemme), on February 12, 2026." fetchpriority="high"/> USA's Jessie Diggins takes the beginning of the ladies's cross-country snowboarding 10km interval begin free occasion of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Video games at Tesero Cross-Nation Snowboarding Stadium in Lago di Tesero (Val di Fiemme), on February 12, 2026. TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP conceal caption

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TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP VAL DI FIEMME, Italy - The lady who helped re-energize Olympic-level cross nation snowboarding within the U.S. has performed it once more. Jessie Diggins, age 34, powered via the ache of injured ribs to seize a bronze medal on a bluebird day on the Tesero Cross-Nation Snowboarding Stadium.

Diggins crossed the end line in third place the ten kilometer interval begin freestyle late, with a late, agonizing surge on the finish. The ache and keenness have been seen on her face earlier than she collapsed to the snow.

"I knew it was going to be a very painful day. I used to be excited to have the chance to race," she mentioned in a press convention after the medal ceremony.

One among her teammates, Hailey Swirbul, was the primary to succeed in Diggins. "She's so powerful, she digs deep," Swirbul mentioned. "I labored as an EMT final winter and I noticed some folks in ache for damaged bones and Jessie appeared comparable, however she's okay."

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6413x4275+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3a%2Fbb%2F0721b29c49d5a7d9302484a55f89%2Fgettyimages-2260721126.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6413x4275+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3a%2Fbb%2F0721b29c49d5a7d9302484a55f89%2Fgettyimages-2260721126.jpg" class="img" alt="VAL DI FIEMME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 12: Hailey Swirbul of Team United States, Jessie Diggins of Team United States celebrate on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Photo by Michel Cottin/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)" loading="lazy"/> VAL DI FIEMME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 12: Hailey Swirbul of Crew United States, Jessie Diggins of Crew United States have a good time on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic video games at Tesero Cross-Nation Snowboarding Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Michel Cottin/Getty Pictures Europe conceal caption

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Michel Cottin/Getty Pictures Europe Diggins injured her ribs when she crashed laborious in her first race, a mixed basic and freestyle "skiathlon." Talking to reporters, she mentioned an MRI confirmed that no ribs have been damaged. "There was blunt compelled trauma. It has been laborious to sleep," she mentioned.

Swedish star skier Frida Karlsson took gold in dominant vogue, crossing the end line 46 seconds forward of of silver place finisher Ebba Andersson, additionally of Sweden. Diggins edged out fourth place finisher Astrid Oyre Slind of Norway by 3.3 seconds.

This was the third straight Olympics the place Diggins medaled. On the 2018 Winter Video games in South Korea, she and fellow U.S. skier Kikkan Randall snapped a decades-long medal drought by successful a gold medal within the group dash freestyle. That was America's first-ever Olympic gold within the sport, and solely the second ever, following Invoice Koch's silver in Innsbruck in 1976. 4 years later, Diggins gained silver and bronze on the Beijing Olympics.

Talking with NPR earlier than the Olympics, Diggins talked about her means to energy via ache and fatigue.

"I've nearly by no means didn't mentally discover the need to dig for it," Diggins mentioned. "Principally I ask myself one quite simple query. 'How do I wish to really feel on the end line?' I do not like dwelling with regrets. I do not wish to ever look again and assume 'What if?"

Diggins is at present scheduled to compete in three extra occasions through the Milan Cortina Video games and mentioned on Thursday she's going to proceed to race regardless of her harm. She's introduced that these shall be her ultimate Olympics and she's going to retire from aggressive snowboarding this spring.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5054x3371+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F12%2F9b%2F943efc4f4faa8c049d447f34b501%2Fgettyimages-2261250931.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5054x3371+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F12%2F9b%2F943efc4f4faa8c049d447f34b501%2Fgettyimages-2261250931.jpg" class="img" alt="VAL DI FIEMME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 12: Gold medalist Frida Karlsson of Team Sweden, Silver medalist Ebba Andersson of Team Sweden and Bronze medalist Jessie Diggins of Team United States pose for a photo on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's 10km Interval Start Free on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Val di Fiemme, Italy." loading="lazy"/> VAL DI FIEMME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 12: Gold medalist Frida Karlsson of Crew Sweden, Silver medalist Ebba Andersson of Crew Sweden and Bronze medalist Jessie Diggins of Crew United States pose for a photograph on the rostrum through the medal ceremony for the Ladies's 10km Interval Begin Free on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic video games at Tesero Cross-Nation Snowboarding Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Alex Slitz/Getty Pictures Europe conceal caption