PLANICA, Slovenia — From the snowy hills of Afton, Minnesota to slopes around the world, Jessie Diggins continues to rack up medals...
On Tuesday, the three-time Olympian made history in Planica, Slovenia when she became the first cross-country skier from the United States to win an individual world title.
According to NBC Sports, Diggins won the 10-kilometer freestyle race in 23 minutes and 40 seconds, finishing 14 seconds over second-place finisher Frida Karlsson, of Sweden. Ebba Andersson, also from Sweden, took bronze.
Two days prior, Diggins and Julia Kern earned bronze in the team sprint.
U.S. cross-country skiers have won 13 Olympic or world championship medals since 1976, but Diggins' win is the first gold.
A competitor in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Olympics, Diggins is the U.S. cross-country skiing record holder with three medals: one bronze, one silver and one gold.
The Minnesota native now has six world championship medals and 14 individual World Cup wins.
Next February, Diggins will compete on the world stage right here in Minnesota at a 2024 World Cup cross-country event in Minneapolis' Wirth Park. It'll be the first World Cup event the U.S. has hosted in the sport since 2001.
The competition, scheduled for Feb. 17-19 pending International Ski Federation confirmation, is being hosted by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard and nonprofits the Loppet Foundation and Share Winter Foundation.
“This will be the first time we’re able to show all the people who believe in us, who are passionate about cross-country skiing, who are getting involved in the sport — this is our chance to show them what it looks like and to share that energy with them,” Diggins said. "It’s really going to inspire a lot of people.”
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