Alexander Bolshunov of ROC celebrates after the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Alexander Bolshunov of Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) clinched the cross-country skiing men's mass start free gold at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games here on Saturday.
Due to strong winds on the course, the original 50km was shortened to 30km in men's mass start free competition as FIS officials made the decision before the start to protect the athletes' safety and reduce the time of their exposure to extreme conditions.
Bolshunov won the event in one hour, 11 minutes and 32.7 seconds, grabbing his third gold medal at Beijing 2022 cross-country skiing, after his victory in men's 15km + 15km skiathlon and men's 4 x 10km relay. He also took a silver in men's 15km classic and a bronze in men's team sprint classic at the National Cross-Country Skiing Center.
"It is an unbelievable performance as I won medals in all the races that I took part in, and three of these are gold medals. This is a huge accomplishment. I am very happy and I want to say a big thank you to my team," Bolshunov said.
Bolshunov's teammate Ivan Yakimushkin finished in 1:11:38.2 to win the silver, 1.5 seconds ahead of the bronze medalist Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway. ■
Alexander Bolshunov of ROC celebrates after the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Centre. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
Alexander Bolshunov of ROC reacts after the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Centre. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
Alexander Bolshunov (C), Ivan Yakimushkin (L) of ROC and Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway pose for photos after the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Centre. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
Liu Rongsheng of China competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
Friedrich Moch of Germany competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Hadesi Badelihan of China competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Roberts Slotins of Latvia competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Chen Degen of China competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Ivan Yakimushkin of ROC competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Alexander Bolshunov of ROC, Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway and Ivan Yakimushkin (R to L) compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Chen Degen of China competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Alexander Bolshunov of ROC crosses the finishing line during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Wang Qiang (R) of China competes during the cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2022. The men's 50km cross-country mass start race on Saturday has been delayed by an hour to 1500 local time (0700 GMT) and shortened to 30km due to high winds at the National Cross-Country Skiing Centre. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Bronze medalist Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway reacts during the Victory Ceremony of cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free event during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
Silver medalist Ivan Yakimushkin of ROC reacts during the Victory Ceremony of cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free event during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
Gold medalist Alexander Bolshunov of ROC reacts during the Victory Ceremony of cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free event during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
Gold medalist Alexander Bolshunov (C) of ROC, silver medalist Ivan Yakimushkin (L) of ROC and bronze medalist Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway pose for photos during the Victory Ceremony of cross-country skiing men's 50km mass start free event during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
