Sweden’s Ebba Andersson gets redemption in winning 50km cross-country ski race at Milan Cortina

TESERO, Italy (AP) — Ebba Andersson pulled away from the pack to win the 50-kilometer mass start cross-country ski race Sunday that served as redemption for her disastrous crash that cost Sweden a gold medal in the team relay at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Norway’s Heidi Weng, who was in the foursome that seized the gold from Sweden in the relay, won silver and Switzerland’s Nadja Kaelin got the bronze.

“I’ve dreamed about this day for a long time now and it’s almost unbelievable that everything went as planned," the 28-year-old Andersson said. "Even though I had believed in myself it’s something else when it works out in reality.”

U.S. star Jessie Diggins was in a group of five that sprinted for the bronze, but she couldn’t keep up with her rivals on the final climb and collapsed in the snow after crossing in fifth place in the final Olympic race of her career.

“It was just a really gritty race,” Diggins said. “Literally every muscle in my body started cramping with three laps to go. So, I can confidently say I could not possibly have tried harder or gotten more out of my body.”

Diggins was in the lead group with Andersson, Weng and Austria’s Teresa Stadlober for the first lap, but then fell off the pace after taking a spill when she changed skis after the second lap. She was in a group of chasers that fought for third.

The 34-year-old Diggins will retire later this year as the most decorated U.S. cross-country skier — with a team gold from 2018 Pyeongchang Games, an individual silver and bronze from Beijing 2022 and a bronze medal in Italy in the 10-kilometer interval freestyle race.

Andersson's medal was the fifth cross-country gold for Sweden, which won every women's cross-country ski event here except for the 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay. In addition to the team silver, Andersson also won a pair of individual silvers in the skiathlon and the 10-kilometer interval start.

Both those races were won by Sweden's Frida Karlsson, who was sick and did not race in the final cross-country event of the Olympics. Teammate Jonna Sundling, who placed second in the women’s sprint and won the team sprint for Sweden together with Maja Dahlqvist, was also out with a cold, Swedish ski federation spokeswoman Ulrika Sterner told The Associated Press.

Karlsson and Sundling were teamed up with Andersson in the Swedish team that won silver in the relay.

Andersson said the gold was especially sweet after her three silvers.

“That’s the point with sports: sometimes you lose and sometimes you win, it’s both ups and downs," she said. “You just need to be patient in everything and trust the process, and that’s what I’ve been doing the past week.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Jessie Diggins, of the United States, competes in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, leads Heidi Weng, of Norway, during the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, right, and Heidi Weng, of Norway, compete in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing women's 50km mass start classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Phil Salt and Will Jacks provided England a perfect start in the Super Eights as co-host Sri Lanka crashed to a 51-run defeat on Sunday.

Salt anchored England to 146-9 with a resolute 62 off 40 balls and Jacks provided impetus to the total by smashing four boundaries in his 21-run knock in the death overs.

Sri Lanka crumbled to 95 all out as offspinner Jacks picked up three wickets inside the power play and earned England its 12th consecutive win in a T20 against the hosts.

Jofra Archer (2-20) struck with a vital blow in his second over when Pathum Nissanka, who scored a century against Australia at the same venue during a group game, flicked a 150 kph delivery straight to deep mid-wicket.

With spinners getting a grip on a slow wicket, Sri Lanka batters struggled against Jacks’ fuller deliveries and slipped to 34-5 inside the first six overs. Kusal Mendis offered a tame return catch to Jacks and Pavan Rathanayake got dismissed off the first delivery when Jacks got a leading edge.

Captain Dasun Shanaka top-scored with 30 but fell to a brilliant relay catch when Jacks caught the ball above his head while running back and tossed the ball back to Tom Banton to complete the catch before Jacks went over the ropes.

The two other England spinners, Liam Dawson (2-27) and Adil Rashid (2-13), also prospered in ideal bowling conditions. Fast bowler Jamie Overton (1-13) also managed to get amongst the wickets.

Earlier, England's top-order crashed against spinner Dunith Wellalage (3-26) as Jos Buttler’s (7) disappointing tournament continued with his third successive single-digit score. Buttler fell to a poor reverse flick against Wellalage after his bat got tangled between his legs and he was struck on the pads plumb in front of the wickets.

Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2-21) also kept the batters under pressure in the middle overs as England kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Salt completed his half-century off 36 balls before he heaved Wellalage to long-off in the 15th over, but Jacks' cameo in the death overs and Overton’s straight six in the last over gave England enough runs to defend.

Later on Sunday, co-host India will take on South Africa in a Super 8 matchup of teams with perfect records in the group stage.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Jofra Archer, center without cap, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and England in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

England's Adil Rashid, left, and Jamie Overton run between the wickets during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and England in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

England's Phil Salt plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and England in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

England's Will Jacks, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and England in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka gives thumbs up to a fan during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

England's captain Harry Brook takes the catch to get dismiss Italy's Anthony Mosca during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Italy in Kolkata, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)