Ski great Therese Johaug puts family first and ends career before 2026 Winter Olympics
Gold medalist Therese Johaug, of Norway, poses during the medal ceremony for the women's 30km mass start free cross-country skiing at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. Credit: AP/Brynn Anderson
OSLO, Norway — Four-time Olympic gold medalist Therese Johaug is retiring from cross-country skiing, opting against competing at next year's Winter Games.
The 36-year-old Norwegian made the announcement Monday, saying she wants to put her family first.
It's the second time Johaug has announced her retirement, having first quit the sport after winning three gold medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. She made a comeback last season for the Nordic skiing world championships held on home snow in Norway.
Johaug would have been competing at her fourth Olympics next February at Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo. She missed the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics while serving a ban after testing positive for a steroid in a lip balm.
“It would have been fun to do the Olympics in Italy,” she told Norwegian broadcaster NRK, adding: “I want to be a full-time mom.”
Johaug has a two-year-old daughter with Nils Jakob Hoff, a two-time Olympian in rowing.
Johaug won her first Olympic gold medal in Vancouver in 2010 and took silver and bronze at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
Norwegian four-time Olympic gold medalist Therese Johaug smiles after announcing her retirement from cross-country skiing at a press conference at a hotel in Oslo, Monday, May 26, 2025. Credit: AP/Lise Åserud
The 14-time world champion also won four medals on home snow at the Nordic worlds held in March at Trondheim.
