Germany wins cross-country skiing women's team sprint classic, Norway takes men's gold

Gold medalists Katharina Hennig (L) and Victoria Carl of Germany celebrate on the podium during the flower ceremony for the cross-country skiing women's team sprint classic final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Center in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Norway triumphed in men's cross-country skiing team sprint classic while Germany took gold in the women's competition.

CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Germany and Norway claimed the women's and men's cross-country skiing team sprint classic gold respectively at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games here on Wednesday.

German pair Katharina Hennig and Victoria Carl won the event in 22 minutes and 9.85 seconds, 0.17 seconds ahead of runner-up Sweden, while the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) took the bronze in 22:10.56.

German cross-country skiers secured the win in the closing stage of the race. "The strength was very important. I was very strong at the finish and very happy to win the gold," Carl noted.

"The gold means a lot, and we are very thankful for the whole team. It's very important for cross-country skiing in Germany," Hennig said.

Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing men's team sprint classic final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Center in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

In the men's competition, Norwegian cross-country skiers Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Erik Valnes clinched the gold in 19:22.99. Finland grabbed the silver 2.46 seconds behind, and the ROC had the bronze.

The team sprint classic gold was the fifth for Klaebo from the Winter Games and the second at Beijing 2022 after his victory in the men's sprint free on February 8.

Both men's and women's teams of China crashed out of the semifinals.