Norway’s Marte Maehlum Johansen produced a strong final half of the freestyle leg of the women’s five kilometres skiathlon to claim gold at the FIS Nordic Junior World Championships in Park City in the United States today ©US Ski Team/Tom Kelly

Norway’s Marte Maehlum Johansen produced a strong final half of the freestyle leg of the women’s five kilometres skiathlon to claim gold at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Nordic Junior World Championships in Park City in the United States today.

Johansen clocked a winning time of 27 min 17.3sec at the Soldier Hollow ski resort, finishing 6.6 seconds quicker than nearest challenger Ebba Andersson of Sweden.

Rounding out the podium was home favourite Katherine Ogden, who was 10.4 seconds back and became the first-ever American cross-country skier to win a medal at the Championships with bronze.

As the three eventual medallists approached a short, steep climb just before the downhill into the stadium on the first skating leg, Johansen made a move to take the lead and extended it in the final 2.5km.

"I’m so happy," Johansen, who came second in the women's 5km race on Wednesday (February 1), said.

"My shape was good and I felt strong almost all the way.

"I just had to go all the way."

Marte Maehlum Johansen, right, makes her move to take the lead ©US Ski Team/Tom Kelly
Marte Maehlum Johansen, right, makes her move to take the lead ©US Ski Team/Tom Kelly

In the men’s 10km skiathlon, Russia’s Vladislav Vechkanov came out on top with a time of 49:40.5.

The 19-year-old held off Norwegian duo Thomas Helland Larsen and Harald Oestberg Amundsen, who came second and third respectively in 49:42.4 and 49:42.7.

Victory secured Vechkanov his second gold medal of the Championships having won the men's 10km race on Wednesday.

The men's and women's team HS100 events were also held today as Austria, Germany and Slovenia made up both podiums, in differing orders, at the Utah Olympic Park.

In the men’s competition, Slovenia's Ziga Jelar, Tilen Bartol, Aljaz Osterc and Bor Pavlovcic took the gold with 932.3 points.

They were followed by Germany's Martin Hamann, Tim Fuchs, Felix Hoffmann and Constantin Schmid, second with 929.0 points, and Austria's Markus Rupitsch, Mika Schwann, Clemens Leitner and Janni Reisenauer, third with 870.8. 

In the women’s event, Germany's Agnes Reisch, Luisa Goerlich, Pauline Hessler and Gianina Ernst soared to gold with 772.1 points.

Slovenia's Jerneja Brecl, Katra Komar, Nika Kriznar and Ema Klinec were second with 733.2 points, while Austria's Claudia Purker, Sophie Mair, Elisabeth Raudaschl and Julia Huber came third with 672.9 points. 

Action in Park City is due to continue tomorrow with the women's under-23 2x7.5 km skiatlon and men's under-23 2x15 km skiatlon.