Gracenote, a data and technology company, has predicted Norway could win 44 medals at the Games including 21 gold.

It would achieve the record tally of 39 achieved at Pyeongchang 2018, while ensuring they finish top of the medals table for the second successive Winter Olympics.

Gracenote says cross country skiing and biathlon will be key to Norway achieving the projected total, with 28 medals currently predicted across the two sports.

Johannes Thingnes Bø, Sturla Holm Lægreid, Marte Olsbu Røiseland and Tiril Eckhoff will lead their biathlon challenge, while Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Therese Johaug are cross-country contenders.

Reigning men’s Nordic combined world champion Jarl Magnus Riiber is also expected to add to his Olympic silver medal from Pyeongchang 2018.

Germany are projected to finish second with 11 gold medals, with the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) following on 10.

Both nations have been tipped to secure 30 medals at the Games.

It would mark a considerable increase from the two gold medals the Olympic Athletes from Russia achieved at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Gracenote said the ROC projection has been reduced by eight medals from their last prediction in October, having taken into account performances during the winter World Cup seasons.

United States and Canada are expected to win 22 medals, earning seven and six gold medals respectively.

Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France and Japan have been forecast to achieve top-10 medal hauls.

The Dutch delegation has been projected to secure the fourth-largest number of gold medals with eight.

Six gold medals have been forecast for China, with the hosts potentially earning 13 medals during the Games.

Gracenote has added that the performances of Asian nations could be underestimated due to several countries, particularly China, being largely absent from World Cup events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company also highlighted the potential for positive COVID-19 tests to impact the medals table, with medal contenders possibly missing events due to positive results.

Austrian ski jumper Sara Kramer, who was originally forecast for gold by Gracenote, has been ruled out.

Hungarian short track skater Shaoang Liu, who has been forecast to win a silver medal, is also doubtful due to COVID-19.