Bjoergen matches all-time medal record with relay gold for Norway

Marit Bjoergen tied the all-time Winter Olympic record of 13 career medals Saturday as she led Norway to gold in 4x5-kilometer cross-country skiing relay. .

The 37-year-old Bjoergen, nicknamed the “Iron Lady”, pulled away from Sweden’s Stina Nilsson in the last 500 meters of the race to take gold, with the Norway team clocking a time of 51 minutes, 24.3 seconds at the Alpensia Cross-Country Center.

Bjoergen is now level with legendary compatriot and fellow cross-country skier Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, with the chase to break the record outright still to come later in the Games.

Sweden finished just two seconds behind its neighbor while the Olympic Athletes from Russia took bronze, 43.3 seconds back.

Bjoergen collapsed onto the snow after crossing the finish line before celebrating with her teammates Ingvild Oestberg, Astrid Jacobsen and Ragnhild Haga.

Norway had been lying in third place when Bjoergen started the final leg of the relay. Although Nilsson pushed Bjoergen hard, she was never able to overtake her, and with the finish line in sight, the Norwegian found an extra gear to ski into the history books.

READ: Live updates from PyeongChang 2018

Record

Bjoergen has now won seven gold medals from five Olympics, trailing only Bjoerndalen and Norwegian cross-country skier Bjoern Daehlie, who each have eight.

She could overtake biathlete Bjoerndalen as the world’s most decorated winter Olympian later in the week, either in the 30 kilometer race on the final day of the Games, or in the team sprint if she is selected.

Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu performs his free skate on his way to winning the gold medal. Hanyu is the first man to repeat as Olympic champion since Dick Button in 1952.

American figure skater Nathan Chen, coming off a disappointing short program on Friday, landed a record six quads -- five of them cleanly -- during his free skate on Saturday. He had the best free skate of the day but still finished out of the medals.

Ester Ledecka pulled off a shocking victory in the women's super-G. Ledecka, a 22-year-old from the Czech Republic, is more known for her snowboarding -- she was a world champion last year in the parallel giant slalom. But now she is an Olympic champion in skiing after winning the super-G by just 0.01 of a second. Next week, she will make history again as the first Olympic athlete to compete in both snowboarding and Alpine skiing.

American skier Lindsey Vonn reacts after her super-G run. She finished tied for sixth after slipping near the end of her run.

American Jordan Greenway gets checked by Russian Nikolai Prokhorkin during the preliminary round of play. The Olympic Athletes from Russia imposed their will in a 4-0 men's hockey win over the United States.

Great Britain's Lizzy Yarnold celebrates at the finish line in the women's skeleton event. She won the gold medal.

Stadium crew members prepare the snow at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre.

Short-track speedskater John-Henry Krueger celebrates with the American flag after winning silver in the 1,000 meters. Canada's Samuel Girard won the gold.

Ukaine's Oleksandr Abramenko jumps during the men's aerial qualifying.

Great Britain's Elise Christie, left, and China's Li Jinyu crash during a short-track semifinal for the 1,500 meters. Christie was taken off the ice on a stretcher.

Angelina Golikova, a speedskater from Russia, photobombs teammate Kseniya Sadouskaya and her coach during a practice session.

Marit Bjørgen, top, celebrates with Ingvild Flugstad Østberg after Norway won a cross-country relay. With the victory, Bjørgen became the most decorated Winter Olympian ever. She now has 13 Olympic medals, tying her with Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen.

Italian speedskaters practice for the team pursuit race.

A spectator cheers for Norway during a men's curling match.

The women's curling team from China celebrates after a win over Japan.

The Olympic rings are reflected in a spectator's sunglasses before the start of the women's super-G.

Dominik Kubalik of the Czech Republic shoots the puck against Canada's Ben Scrivens during a preliminary round hockey game.

German figure skater Paul Fentz reacts to his free-skate score.

Canadian skier Kim Lamarre competes in the slopestyle competition.

Winter Olympics: Saturday, February 17

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READ: Snowboarder stuns the world to win skiing gold

Bjoergen, who gave birth to a baby boy at the end of 2015, had already become the most successful female winter Olympian on the first day of competition in Pyeongchang when she won silver in the 15-kilometer skiathlon.

Five days later, she claimed bronze in the 10-kilometer free before finally winning gold in the relay.