🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 51 (from laksa171)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa051.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness","crawl_time":1775064431,"first_indexed_time":1771875859,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,cnn!www,\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness s443","src_root_hash":"2312100192101524051","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Why Norway is dominating the Winter Olympics and what could US learn | CNN","meta_descriptions":["Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to CNN Sports. Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to\nCNN Sports\n. Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks.\n“It didn’t help,” he chuckled a few days ago. “I had to cheer just now because we’ve just won another gold in the Nordic Combined. We have 16, that’s the Olympic record, and we hope for a couple more. So, it’s fantastic!”\nOf course, the Games weren’t done then. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 golds – and 41 total medals.\nAd Feedback\nIt’s now an indisputable fact: Nobody can touch Norway at the Winter Olympics. From 2018 in Pyeongchang through the Italian Games in 2026, the Norwegians have always come out on top.\nA tiny nation of roughly five-and-a-half million people – about the same as the US state of South Carolina – has figured out how to keep beating countries like China (1.4 billion), the US (342 million), Germany (84 million), Italy (59 million) and Canada (40 million). Clearly, they’re doing something right, and perhaps some of their rival nations like the US could learn a thing or two from the Nordic champions.\nIt might come as no surprise that a Nordic country would excel in winter sports, but the truth is that Norway has been punching well above its weight in many sports for some time. Norway has recently produced Olympic champions in beach volleyball and several in track and field – two quintessentially summer sports.\nTheir triathlon program is celebrated as the best in the world, Viktor Hovland is one of the top golfers, Casper Ruud made it to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the “\nBeautiful Game\n” and Ada Hegerberg won the most prestigious individual honor in world soccer, the\nBallon D’Or\n.\nThere are many reasons for Norway’s success, but there is one common theme: An emphasis on fun and enjoyment that starts at the grassroots level.\nUntil the age of 12 in Norway, nobody in youth sports is allowed to keep score, and there are no league standings either. As a result, there is far less destructive pressure and no reason to specialize too soon, and young athletes are encouraged to try out multiple sports. If one player gets a trophy, everyone gets a trophy; they want as many children as possible to return the following season.\nSuch a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens. Norwegian coaches don’t tend to mistake early bloomers for talented athletes.\n“I find that many of the big sporting systems are more occupied with getting rid of people at the young age than develop many,” explained Øvebrø. “Why do I say that? It’s all about selection and selection is another way of getting rid of people. We are few. We have to take care of everybody.”\nHaaland played in the same mixed development group of 39 boys and one girl at Bryne FK until he was 16. The group was never broken up into first, second and third teams, nobody dropped out, and a handful of those players ended up turning professional.\nJohannes Høsflot Klæbo always thought he’d be a soccer player one day; in fact, he was sure of it . But he would come to realize that his true potential lay elsewhere – in Italy, he won six gold medals in cross-country skiing to become the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, his 11 gold medals surpassing three other athletes who had eight golds to their names.\nAll are Norwegian, by the way.\nThe sports development pipeline in Norway is less about trying to identify talent quickly and then turbo-charging the athletes to success, it’s more about letting them find their own way, ensuring that when they’re ready to join an elite-level program, they will make the most of it.\n“When you try different sports, you also meet different cultures and that means you develop the social skills to handle different kinds of people,” said Øvebrø. “There is a broad learning base and when you have those kinds of kids, it’s easier to build a high-performance culture; they know who they are, what they want. We like the kids to feel that they are in it for themselves.”\nThe contrast with the system in the United States couldn’t be more stark.\nUS comedian Josh Mancuso ridiculed the American travel baseball system, which starts at the age of 7, in\na viral reel\nwhich has been seen by millions of people on Instagram.\n“First tournament is a regional in South Florida,” his coach character explained. “From there, we’ll head to Costa Rica and Ecuador for two more tournaments. You’ll need bats, gloves, cleats, pants, jerseys, specialty jerseys, carts, tents, chairs, speakers. This is basically the major leagues. … It will cost $27,000 per family.”\n“I think the video resonated with so many American families involved in travel sports because it’s one of those ‘it’s funny, but it’s not’ situations,” Mancuso told CNN Sports.\n“Parents are smiling through the pain while spending gobs of money on tournament fees, high-end equipment and name brand swag so their 11-year old feels like a MLB All-Star. I can’t lie though, I would have loved it all when I was a little slugger.”\nIn every way, such programs are unthinkable in Norway, a highly egalitarian society, in which wealth and resources are distributed evenly. There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation.\nGeir Jordet is the professor of psychology and soccer at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. He told CNN Sports that his country’s sporting success can be summarized in three words: “Collaboration, communication and care.”\nOnce the elite athletes have been identified, they are helped to fulfil their potential in programs that utilize cutting edge knowledge, science and technology, including the functional use of psychology.\n“The top Olympic Sports Center is 10 meters away from the Sport University where I’m currently sitting right now,” he said, emphasizing that Norway’s diminutive stature facilitates collaboration within the elite sports community.\n“There’s a very strong sharing culture across sports in Norway and also from academia and from science to sport. There are very short lines of communication when it comes to knowledge. People come to that center from different sports, they meet there, they train there together, they communicate and they learn from each other.”\nA rising tide lifts all boats in Norway, and – whether it’s athletes, programs or sports – they cooperate with other for as long as possible, they only compete when they must.\nAuthor Brad Stulberg, who recently published “The Way of Excellence,” is fascinated by the Norwegian approach, especially as he contrasts it with his own experience as a parent and coach in the US.\n“I think that Americans could learn a lot from the Norwegian model,” he told CNN Sports, “especially the emphasis on fun and participation over winning. The data is very clear, the number one reason that kids quit sports is because it’s no longer fun. The number two reason is because they feel too much pressure.”\nWhen Stulberg highlighted the reasons for Norway’s success in a post on Instagram, he says that some of the responses in the comments seemed to be triggered.\n“So many Americans just get deeply offended by this idea,” he explained. “It’s a lot of, like, batsh*t crazy parents who feel called out because they are on the sidelines screaming at referees at their eight-year old’s baseball game. It just makes no sense; the parents need to put the kids first. It behooves us to keep sports fun, to try to release the pressure, to develop a love for sport and then keep them in sport so that later on they can be competitive.”\nTore Øvebrø says that by the age of 25, 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports. Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2024 that 70% of youth athletes drop out of organized sports by the age of 13 – injury and burnout are the principal reasons why.\n“Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations,” said the report.","attrs_markdown":"Ad Feedback\n\nThank You\\!\n\nYour effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much appreciated.\n\nClose\n\n[Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport)\n\n[NFL](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nfl)\n\n[NBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nba)\n\n[MLB](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/mlb)\n\n[WNBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/wnba)\n\n[Golf](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/golf)\n\n[Soccer](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/soccer)\n\n[Tennis](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/tennis)\n\n[Motorsport](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/motorsport)\n\n[College Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/college-sports)\n\n[Olympics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026)\n\n[Bleacher Report](https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/)\n\n[More]()\n\n[NFL](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nfl)   [NBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nba)   [MLB](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/mlb)   [WNBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/wnba)   [Golf](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/golf)   [Soccer](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/soccer)   [Tennis](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/tennis)   [Motorsport](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/motorsport)   [College Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/college-sports)   [Olympics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026)   [Bleacher Report](https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/)\n\n[Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/subscription\/all-access)   [Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n\nSubscribe\n\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n***\n[Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)   [Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/subscription\/all-access)\n***\nEdition\n\n[US](https:\/\/us.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\n[International](https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\n[Arabic](https:\/\/arabic.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\n[Español](https:\/\/cnnespanol.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\nEdition\n\n- [US](https:\/\/us.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n- [International](https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n- [Arabic](https:\/\/arabic.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n- [Español](https:\/\/cnnespanol.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n***\n[NFL](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nfl)\n\n[NBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nba)\n\n[MLB](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/mlb)\n\n[WNBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/wnba)\n\n[Golf](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/golf)\n\n[Soccer](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/soccer)\n\n[Tennis](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/tennis)\n\n[Motorsport](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/motorsport)\n\n[College Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/college-sports)\n\n[Olympics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026)\n\n[Bleacher Report](https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/)\n***\nFollow CNN\n\nDownload the CNN App\n***\n\n- [US](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us)\n  - [Crime & Justice](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/crime-and-justice)\n  - [Immigration](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/immigration)\n  - [Education](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/education)\n  - [Transportation](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/transportation)\n  - [Race & Identity](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/race-and-identity)\n- [World](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world)\n  - [Africa](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/africa)\n  - [Americas](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/americas)\n  - [Asia](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/asia)\n  - [Australia](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/australia)\n  - [China](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/china)\n  - [Europe](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/europe)\n  - [India](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/india)\n  - [Middle East](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/middle-east)\n  - [United Kingdom](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/united-kingdom)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics)\n  - [Elections 2026](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2026)\n  - [Trump](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/president-donald-trump-47)\n  - [Facts First](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/fact-check)\n  - [CNN Polls](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/polling)\n  - [Redistricting Tracker](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/state-redistricting-maps-vis\/index.html)\n  - [Epstein Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/epstein-files)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business)\n  - [Tech](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/tech)\n  - [Media](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/media)\n  - [Calculators](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/financial-calculators)\n  - [Videos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/videos)\n- [Markets](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets)\n  - [Pre-markets](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets\/premarkets)\n  - [After-Hours](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets\/after-hours)\n  - [Fear & Greed](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets\/fear-and-greed)\n  - [Investing](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/investing)\n  - [Markets Now](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/markets-now)\n  - [Nightcap](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/markets\/nightcap)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health)\n  - [Life, But Better](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/interactive\/life-but-better\/)\n  - [Fitness](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/fitness)\n  - [Food](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/food)\n  - [Sleep](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/sleep)\n  - [Mindfulness](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/mindfulness)\n  - [Relationships](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/relationships)\n- [CNN Underscored](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored)\n  - [Electronics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/electronics)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/fashion)\n  - [Beauty](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/beauty)\n  - [Health & Fitness](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/health-fitness)\n  - [Home](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/home)\n  - [Reviews](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/reviews)\n  - [Deals](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/deals)\n  - [Gifts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/gifts)\n  - [Travel](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/travel)\n  - [Outdoors](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/outdoors)\n  - [Pets](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/pets)\n- [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment)\n  - [Movies](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment\/movies)\n  - [Television](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment\/tv-shows)\n  - [Celebrity](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment\/celebrities)\n- [Tech](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/tech)\n  - [Innovate](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/tech\/innovate)\n- [Style](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style)\n  - [Arts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/arts)\n  - [Design](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/design)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/fashion)\n  - [Architecture](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/architecture)\n  - [Luxury](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/luxury)\n  - [Beauty](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/beauty)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/videos)\n- [Travel](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel)\n  - [Destinations](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/destinations)\n  - [Food & Drink](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/food-and-drink)\n  - [Stay](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/stay)\n  - [Videos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/videos)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sports)\n  - [NFL](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nfl)\n  - [NBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nba)\n  - [MLB](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/mlb)\n  - [WNBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/wnba)\n  - [Golf](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/golf)\n  - [Soccer](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/soccer)\n  - [Tennis](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/tennis)\n  - [Motorsport](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/motorsport)\n  - [College Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/college-sports)\n  - [Olympics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026)\n  - [Bleacher Report](https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science)\n  - [Space](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science\/space)\n  - [Life](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science\/life)\n  - [Unearthed](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science\/unearthed)\n- [Climate](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/climate)\n  - [Solutions](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/climate\/solutions)\n  - [Weather](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather)\n- [Weather](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather\/video)\n  - [Climate](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/climate)\n- [Ukraine-Russia War](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/europe\/ukraine)\n- [Israel-Hamas War](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/middleeast\/israel)\n- [Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n  - [Featured](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n  - [Shows & Films](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch#shows-films)\n  - [Network TV](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos\/live)\n  - [Clips](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos)\n  - [CNN Headlines](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos\/fast\/cnn-headlines)\n  - [Shows A-Z](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/tv\/all-shows)\n  - [CNN 10](https:\/\/www.cnn10.com\/)\n  - [CNN TV Schedule](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/tv\/schedule\/cnn)\n- [Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n  - [CNN 5 Things](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/5-things)\n  - [Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/chasing-life)\n  - [The Assignment with Audie Cornish](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/the-assignment)\n  - [One Thing](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/one-thing)\n  - [Tug of War](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/tug-of-war)\n  - [CNN Political Briefing](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/political-briefing)\n  - [The Axe Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/axe-files)\n  - [All There Is with Anderson Cooper](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/all-there-is-with-anderson-cooper)\n  - [All CNN Audio podcasts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n- [Games](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games)\n  - [Daily Crossword](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/cnn-crossword)\n  - [Jumble Crossword](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/jumble-crossword-daily)\n  - [Photo Shuffle](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/photo-shuffle)\n  - [Sudoblock](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/sudoblock)\n  - [Sudoku](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/daily-sudoku)\n  - [5 Things Quiz](https:\/\/cnn.it\/5thingsquiz)\n- [About CNN](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/about)\n  - [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/subscription?source=sub_web_footersubnav-link)\n  - [Photos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/photos)\n  - [Investigations](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/cnn-investigates)\n  - [CNN Profiles](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles)\n  - [CNN Leadership](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/cnn-leadership)\n  - [CNN Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n  - [Work for CNN](https:\/\/careers.wbd.com\/cnnjobs)\n***\nDownload the CNN App\n\n[![aiming-for-gold-logo-80.png](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026)\n\nAd Feedback\n\n[Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport)  7 min read\n\n# Why Norway is dominating the Winter Olympics and what could US learn\nBy\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/don-riddell)[Don Riddell](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/don-riddell)\n\nUpdated Feb 22, 2026, 10:26 PM ET\n\nPublished Feb 22, 2026, 4:55 AM ET\n\nUpdated Feb 23, 2026\n\nUpdated\n\nFeb 22, 2026, 10:26 PM ET\n\nPUBLISHED\n\nFeb 22, 2026, 4:55 AM ET\n\n![Gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway celebrates on the podium after the men's 50km mass start classic alongside silver medalist Martin Loewstroem Nyenget of Norway and bronze medalist Emil Iversen of Norway, on Saturday.](https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/2026-02-21t134632z-875957665-up1em2l1086sd-rtrmadp-3-olympics-2026-crosscountry.JPG?c=original&q=w_1041,c_fill)\n\nGold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway celebrates on the podium after the men's 50km mass start classic alongside silver medalist Martin Loewstroem Nyenget of Norway and bronze medalist Emil Iversen of Norway, on Saturday.\n\nStephanie Lecocq\/Reuters\n\nOlympics\n\n[See all topics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow)\n\nFacebook\n\nTweet\n\n[Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F02%2F22%2Fsport%2Fnorway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness \"Share with email\")\n\nLink\n\nThreads\n\nLink Copied\\!\n\nNorway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to [CNN Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport). Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks.\n\n“It didn’t help,” he chuckled a few days ago. “I had to cheer just now because we’ve just won another gold in the Nordic Combined. We have 16, that’s the Olympic record, and we hope for a couple more. So, it’s fantastic!”\n\nOf course, the Games weren’t done then. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 golds – and 41 total medals.\n\nAd Feedback\n\nIt’s now an indisputable fact: Nobody can touch Norway at the Winter Olympics. From 2018 in Pyeongchang through the Italian Games in 2026, the Norwegians have always come out on top.\n\nA tiny nation of roughly five-and-a-half million people – about the same as the US state of South Carolina – has figured out how to keep beating countries like China (1.4 billion), the US (342 million), Germany (84 million), Italy (59 million) and Canada (40 million). Clearly, they’re doing something right, and perhaps some of their rival nations like the US could learn a thing or two from the Nordic champions.\n\nIt might come as no surprise that a Nordic country would excel in winter sports, but the truth is that Norway has been punching well above its weight in many sports for some time. Norway has recently produced Olympic champions in beach volleyball and several in track and field – two quintessentially summer sports.\n\n![Young Norwegian players stand during the national anthem ahead of an international friendly Under-16 soccer match against Denmark at The Macron Ynys Park in Port Talbot, Wales.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)\n\nYoung Norwegian players stand during the national anthem ahead of an international friendly Under-16 soccer match against Denmark at The Macron Ynys Park in Port Talbot, Wales.\n\nKian Abdullah \/SPP\/Sipa USA\/AP\n\nTheir triathlon program is celebrated as the best in the world, Viktor Hovland is one of the top golfers, Casper Ruud made it to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the “[Beautiful Game](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/football)” and Ada Hegerberg won the most prestigious individual honor in world soccer, the [Ballon D’Or](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/22\/sport\/soccer-ballon-dor-ousmane-dembele-aitana-bonmati).\n\nThere are many reasons for Norway’s success, but there is one common theme: An emphasis on fun and enjoyment that starts at the grassroots level.\n\nUntil the age of 12 in Norway, nobody in youth sports is allowed to keep score, and there are no league standings either. As a result, there is far less destructive pressure and no reason to specialize too soon, and young athletes are encouraged to try out multiple sports. If one player gets a trophy, everyone gets a trophy; they want as many children as possible to return the following season.\n\n## Keeping top athletes engaged\nSuch a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens. Norwegian coaches don’t tend to mistake early bloomers for talented athletes.\n\n“I find that many of the big sporting systems are more occupied with getting rid of people at the young age than develop many,” explained Øvebrø. “Why do I say that? It’s all about selection and selection is another way of getting rid of people. We are few. We have to take care of everybody.”\n\nHaaland played in the same mixed development group of 39 boys and one girl at Bryne FK until he was 16. The group was never broken up into first, second and third teams, nobody dropped out, and a handful of those players ended up turning professional.\n\nJohannes Høsflot Klæbo always thought he’d be a soccer player one day; in fact, he was sure of it . But he would come to realize that his true potential lay elsewhere – in Italy, he won six gold medals in cross-country skiing to become the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, his 11 gold medals surpassing three other athletes who had eight golds to their names.\n\n![Klaebo approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 4 x 7.5km relay on February 15.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)\n\nKlaebo approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 4 x 7.5km relay on February 15.\n\nEvgeniy Maloletka\/AP\n\nAll are Norwegian, by the way.\n\nThe sports development pipeline in Norway is less about trying to identify talent quickly and then turbo-charging the athletes to success, it’s more about letting them find their own way, ensuring that when they’re ready to join an elite-level program, they will make the most of it.\n\n“When you try different sports, you also meet different cultures and that means you develop the social skills to handle different kinds of people,” said Øvebrø. “There is a broad learning base and when you have those kinds of kids, it’s easier to build a high-performance culture; they know who they are, what they want. We like the kids to feel that they are in it for themselves.”\n\n## ‘It’s funny, but it’s not’\nThe contrast with the system in the United States couldn’t be more stark.\n\nUS comedian Josh Mancuso ridiculed the American travel baseball system, which starts at the age of 7, in [a viral reel](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DVCKy6KkmP1\/) which has been seen by millions of people on Instagram.\n\n“First tournament is a regional in South Florida,” his coach character explained. “From there, we’ll head to Costa Rica and Ecuador for two more tournaments. You’ll need bats, gloves, cleats, pants, jerseys, specialty jerseys, carts, tents, chairs, speakers. This is basically the major leagues. … It will cost \\$27,000 per family.”\n\n“I think the video resonated with so many American families involved in travel sports because it’s one of those ‘it’s funny, but it’s not’ situations,” Mancuso told CNN Sports.\n\n“Parents are smiling through the pain while spending gobs of money on tournament fees, high-end equipment and name brand swag so their 11-year old feels like a MLB All-Star. I can’t lie though, I would have loved it all when I was a little slugger.”\n\nIn every way, such programs are unthinkable in Norway, a highly egalitarian society, in which wealth and resources are distributed evenly. There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation.\n\n![Norway's Karoline Offigstad Knotten shoots in the women's biathlon 4x6km relay event during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena on February 18.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)\n\nNorway's Karoline Offigstad Knotten shoots in the women's biathlon 4x6km relay event during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena on February 18.\n\nFrancois-Xavier Marit\/AFP\/Getty Images\n\nGeir Jordet is the professor of psychology and soccer at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. He told CNN Sports that his country’s sporting success can be summarized in three words: “Collaboration, communication and care.”\n\nOnce the elite athletes have been identified, they are helped to fulfil their potential in programs that utilize cutting edge knowledge, science and technology, including the functional use of psychology.\n\n“The top Olympic Sports Center is 10 meters away from the Sport University where I’m currently sitting right now,” he said, emphasizing that Norway’s diminutive stature facilitates collaboration within the elite sports community.\n\n“There’s a very strong sharing culture across sports in Norway and also from academia and from science to sport. There are very short lines of communication when it comes to knowledge. People come to that center from different sports, they meet there, they train there together, they communicate and they learn from each other.”\n\n## Putting kids first\nA rising tide lifts all boats in Norway, and – whether it’s athletes, programs or sports – they cooperate with other for as long as possible, they only compete when they must.\n\nAuthor Brad Stulberg, who recently published “The Way of Excellence,” is fascinated by the Norwegian approach, especially as he contrasts it with his own experience as a parent and coach in the US.\n\n“I think that Americans could learn a lot from the Norwegian model,” he told CNN Sports, “especially the emphasis on fun and participation over winning. The data is very clear, the number one reason that kids quit sports is because it’s no longer fun. The number two reason is because they feel too much pressure.”\n\n![Johannes Dale-Skjevdal crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 15 km mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva on Friday.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)\n\nJohannes Dale-Skjevdal crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 15 km mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva on Friday.\n\nDavid J. Phillip\/AP\n\nWhen Stulberg highlighted the reasons for Norway’s success in a post on Instagram, he says that some of the responses in the comments seemed to be triggered.\n\n“So many Americans just get deeply offended by this idea,” he explained. “It’s a lot of, like, batsh\\*t crazy parents who feel called out because they are on the sidelines screaming at referees at their eight-year old’s baseball game. It just makes no sense; the parents need to put the kids first. It behooves us to keep sports fun, to try to release the pressure, to develop a love for sport and then keep them in sport so that later on they can be competitive.”\n\nTore Øvebrø says that by the age of 25, 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports. Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2024 that 70% of youth athletes drop out of organized sports by the age of 13 – injury and burnout are the principal reasons why.\n\n“Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations,” said the report.\n\nOlympics\n\n[See all topics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow)\n\nFacebook\n\nTweet\n\n[Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F02%2F22%2Fsport%2Fnorway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness \"Share with email\")\n\nLink\n\nThreads\n\nLink Copied\\!\n\nAd Feedback\n\nSubscribe\n\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n***\n[Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)   [Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n***\n- [US](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us)\n  - [Crime & Justice](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/crime-and-justice)\n  - [Immigration](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/immigration)\n  - [Education](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/education)\n  - [Transportation](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/transportation)\n  - [Race & Identity](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/race-and-identity)\n- [World](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world)\n  - [Africa](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/africa)\n  - [Americas](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/americas)\n  - [Asia](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/asia)\n  - [Australia](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/australia)\n  - [China](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/china)\n  - [Europe](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/europe)\n  - [India](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/india)\n  - [Middle East](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/middle-east)\n  - [United Kingdom](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/united-kingdom)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics)\n  - [Elections 2026](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2026)\n  - [Trump](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/president-donald-trump-47)\n  - [Facts First](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/fact-check)\n  - [CNN Polls](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/polling)\n  - [Redistricting Tracker](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/state-redistricting-maps-vis\/index.html)\n  - [Epstein Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/epstein-files)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business)\n  - [Tech](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/tech)\n  - [Media](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/media)\n  - [Calculators](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/financial-calculators)\n  - [Videos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/videos)\n- [Markets](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets)\n  - [Pre-markets](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets\/premarkets)\n  - [After-Hours](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets\/after-hours)\n  - [Fear & Greed](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/markets\/fear-and-greed)\n  - [Investing](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/investing)\n  - [Markets Now](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/markets-now)\n  - [Nightcap](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/markets\/nightcap)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health)\n  - [Life, But Better](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/interactive\/life-but-better\/)\n  - [Fitness](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/fitness)\n  - [Food](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/food)\n  - [Sleep](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/sleep)\n  - [Mindfulness](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/mindfulness)\n  - [Relationships](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/health\/life-but-better\/relationships)\n- [CNN Underscored](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored)\n  - [Electronics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/electronics)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/fashion)\n  - [Beauty](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/beauty)\n  - [Health & Fitness](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/health-fitness)\n  - [Home](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/home)\n  - [Reviews](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/reviews)\n  - [Deals](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/deals)\n  - [Gifts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/gifts)\n  - [Travel](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/travel)\n  - [Outdoors](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/outdoors)\n  - [Pets](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/cnn-underscored\/pets)\n- [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment)\n  - [Movies](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment\/movies)\n  - [Television](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment\/tv-shows)\n  - [Celebrity](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/entertainment\/celebrities)\n- [Tech](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/tech)\n  - [Innovate](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/business\/tech\/innovate)\n- [Style](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style)\n  - [Arts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/arts)\n  - [Design](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/design)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/fashion)\n  - [Architecture](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/architecture)\n  - [Luxury](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/luxury)\n  - [Beauty](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/beauty)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/style\/videos)\n- [Travel](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel)\n  - [Destinations](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/destinations)\n  - [Food & Drink](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/food-and-drink)\n  - [Stay](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/stay)\n  - [News](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/news)\n  - [Videos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/videos)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sports)\n  - [NFL](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nfl)\n  - [NBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/nba)\n  - [MLB](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/mlb)\n  - [WNBA](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/wnba)\n  - [Golf](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/golf)\n  - [Soccer](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/soccer)\n  - [Tennis](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/tennis)\n  - [Motorsport](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/motorsport)\n  - [College Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/college-sports)\n  - [Olympics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026)\n  - [Bleacher Report](https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science)\n  - [Space](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science\/space)\n  - [Life](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science\/life)\n  - [Unearthed](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/science\/unearthed)\n- [Climate](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/climate)\n  - [Solutions](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/climate\/solutions)\n  - [Weather](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather)\n- [Weather](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather\/video)\n  - [Climate](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/climate)\n- [Ukraine-Russia War](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/europe\/ukraine)\n- [Israel-Hamas War](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/middleeast\/israel)\n- [Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n  - [Featured](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n  - [Shows & Films](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch#shows-films)\n  - [Network TV](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos\/live)\n  - [Clips](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos)\n  - [CNN Headlines](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos\/fast\/cnn-headlines)\n  - [Shows A-Z](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/tv\/all-shows)\n  - [CNN 10](https:\/\/www.cnn10.com\/)\n  - [CNN TV Schedule](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/tv\/schedule\/cnn)\n- [Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n  - [CNN 5 Things](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/5-things)\n  - [Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/chasing-life)\n  - [The Assignment with Audie Cornish](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/the-assignment)\n  - [One Thing](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/one-thing)\n  - [Tug of War](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/tug-of-war)\n  - [CNN Political Briefing](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/political-briefing)\n  - [The Axe Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/axe-files)\n  - [All There Is with Anderson Cooper](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio\/podcasts\/all-there-is-with-anderson-cooper)\n  - [All CNN Audio podcasts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n- [Games](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games)\n  - [Daily Crossword](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/cnn-crossword)\n  - [Jumble Crossword](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/jumble-crossword-daily)\n  - [Photo Shuffle](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/photo-shuffle)\n  - [Sudoblock](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/sudoblock)\n  - [Sudoku](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/daily-sudoku)\n  - [5 Things Quiz](https:\/\/cnn.it\/5thingsquiz)\n- [About CNN](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/about)\n  - [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/subscription?source=sub_web_footersubnav-link)\n  - [Photos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/photos)\n  - [Investigations](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/cnn-investigates)\n  - [CNN Profiles](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles)\n  - [CNN Leadership](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/cnn-leadership)\n  - [CNN Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n  - [Work for CNN](https:\/\/careers.wbd.com\/cnnjobs)\n***\n[Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport)\n\n[Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)   [Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n***\nSubscribe\n\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n\nFollow CNN\n***\nDownload the CNN app\n\nDownload the CNN app\n***\n[Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/terms)   [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/privacy)  [Manage Cookies](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)  [Ad Choices](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/ad-choices)   [Accessibility & CC](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/accessibility)   [About](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/about)   [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/subscription?source=sub_web_footerlink-link)   [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)   [Transcripts](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/transcripts)   [Help Center](https:\/\/help.cnn.com\/)\n\n© 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.   \n CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.\n\n## Download the CNN app\nScan the QR code to download the CNN app on Google Play.\n\n![Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from Google Play.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/google-play-cnn-app-qr-code.png)\n\n## Download the CNN app\nScan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.\n\n![Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/app-store-cnn-app-qr-code.png)\n\n![CNN Logo](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/cnn.svg)\n\n## Legal Terms and Privacy\nBy clicking Agree, you have read and agree to the Terms of Use and agree to the collection and use of your information by cookies and similar technologies, as set forth in our Privacy Policy.\n\nBy clicking \"Agree\", you have read and agree to the [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/terms) and agree to the collection and use of your information by cookies and similar technologies, as set forth in our [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/privacy).\n\n[Agree](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/22\/sport\/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to [CNN Sports](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport). Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks.\n\n“It didn’t help,” he chuckled a few days ago. “I had to cheer just now because we’ve just won another gold in the Nordic Combined. We have 16, that’s the Olympic record, and we hope for a couple more. So, it’s fantastic!”\n\nOf course, the Games weren’t done then. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 golds – and 41 total medals.\n\nAd Feedback\n\nIt’s now an indisputable fact: Nobody can touch Norway at the Winter Olympics. From 2018 in Pyeongchang through the Italian Games in 2026, the Norwegians have always come out on top.\n\nA tiny nation of roughly five-and-a-half million people – about the same as the US state of South Carolina – has figured out how to keep beating countries like China (1.4 billion), the US (342 million), Germany (84 million), Italy (59 million) and Canada (40 million). Clearly, they’re doing something right, and perhaps some of their rival nations like the US could learn a thing or two from the Nordic champions.\n\nIt might come as no surprise that a Nordic country would excel in winter sports, but the truth is that Norway has been punching well above its weight in many sports for some time. Norway has recently produced Olympic champions in beach volleyball and several in track and field – two quintessentially summer sports.\n\nTheir triathlon program is celebrated as the best in the world, Viktor Hovland is one of the top golfers, Casper Ruud made it to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the “[Beautiful Game](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\/football)” and Ada Hegerberg won the most prestigious individual honor in world soccer, the [Ballon D’Or](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/22\/sport\/soccer-ballon-dor-ousmane-dembele-aitana-bonmati).\n\nThere are many reasons for Norway’s success, but there is one common theme: An emphasis on fun and enjoyment that starts at the grassroots level.\n\nUntil the age of 12 in Norway, nobody in youth sports is allowed to keep score, and there are no league standings either. As a result, there is far less destructive pressure and no reason to specialize too soon, and young athletes are encouraged to try out multiple sports. If one player gets a trophy, everyone gets a trophy; they want as many children as possible to return the following season.\n\nSuch a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens. Norwegian coaches don’t tend to mistake early bloomers for talented athletes.\n\n“I find that many of the big sporting systems are more occupied with getting rid of people at the young age than develop many,” explained Øvebrø. “Why do I say that? It’s all about selection and selection is another way of getting rid of people. We are few. We have to take care of everybody.”\n\nHaaland played in the same mixed development group of 39 boys and one girl at Bryne FK until he was 16. The group was never broken up into first, second and third teams, nobody dropped out, and a handful of those players ended up turning professional.\n\nJohannes Høsflot Klæbo always thought he’d be a soccer player one day; in fact, he was sure of it . But he would come to realize that his true potential lay elsewhere – in Italy, he won six gold medals in cross-country skiing to become the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, his 11 gold medals surpassing three other athletes who had eight golds to their names.\n\nAll are Norwegian, by the way.\n\nThe sports development pipeline in Norway is less about trying to identify talent quickly and then turbo-charging the athletes to success, it’s more about letting them find their own way, ensuring that when they’re ready to join an elite-level program, they will make the most of it.\n\n“When you try different sports, you also meet different cultures and that means you develop the social skills to handle different kinds of people,” said Øvebrø. “There is a broad learning base and when you have those kinds of kids, it’s easier to build a high-performance culture; they know who they are, what they want. We like the kids to feel that they are in it for themselves.”\n\nThe contrast with the system in the United States couldn’t be more stark.\n\nUS comedian Josh Mancuso ridiculed the American travel baseball system, which starts at the age of 7, in [a viral reel](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DVCKy6KkmP1\/) which has been seen by millions of people on Instagram.\n\n“First tournament is a regional in South Florida,” his coach character explained. “From there, we’ll head to Costa Rica and Ecuador for two more tournaments. You’ll need bats, gloves, cleats, pants, jerseys, specialty jerseys, carts, tents, chairs, speakers. This is basically the major leagues. … It will cost \\$27,000 per family.”\n\n“I think the video resonated with so many American families involved in travel sports because it’s one of those ‘it’s funny, but it’s not’ situations,” Mancuso told CNN Sports.\n\n“Parents are smiling through the pain while spending gobs of money on tournament fees, high-end equipment and name brand swag so their 11-year old feels like a MLB All-Star. I can’t lie though, I would have loved it all when I was a little slugger.”\n\nIn every way, such programs are unthinkable in Norway, a highly egalitarian society, in which wealth and resources are distributed evenly. There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation.\n\nGeir Jordet is the professor of psychology and soccer at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. He told CNN Sports that his country’s sporting success can be summarized in three words: “Collaboration, communication and care.”\n\nOnce the elite athletes have been identified, they are helped to fulfil their potential in programs that utilize cutting edge knowledge, science and technology, including the functional use of psychology.\n\n“The top Olympic Sports Center is 10 meters away from the Sport University where I’m currently sitting right now,” he said, emphasizing that Norway’s diminutive stature facilitates collaboration within the elite sports community.\n\n“There’s a very strong sharing culture across sports in Norway and also from academia and from science to sport. There are very short lines of communication when it comes to knowledge. People come to that center from different sports, they meet there, they train there together, they communicate and they learn from each other.”\n\nA rising tide lifts all boats in Norway, and – whether it’s athletes, programs or sports – they cooperate with other for as long as possible, they only compete when they must.\n\nAuthor Brad Stulberg, who recently published “The Way of Excellence,” is fascinated by the Norwegian approach, especially as he contrasts it with his own experience as a parent and coach in the US.\n\n“I think that Americans could learn a lot from the Norwegian model,” he told CNN Sports, “especially the emphasis on fun and participation over winning. The data is very clear, the number one reason that kids quit sports is because it’s no longer fun. The number two reason is because they feel too much pressure.”\n\nWhen Stulberg highlighted the reasons for Norway’s success in a post on Instagram, he says that some of the responses in the comments seemed to be triggered.\n\n“So many Americans just get deeply offended by this idea,” he explained. “It’s a lot of, like, batsh\\*t crazy parents who feel called out because they are on the sidelines screaming at referees at their eight-year old’s baseball game. It just makes no sense; the parents need to put the kids first. It behooves us to keep sports fun, to try to release the pressure, to develop a love for sport and then keep them in sport so that later on they can be competitive.”\n\nTore Øvebrø says that by the age of 25, 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports. Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2024 that 70% of youth athletes drop out of organized sports by the age of 13 – injury and burnout are the principal reasons why.\n\n“Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations,” said the report.","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

18 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.6 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness
Last Crawled	2026-04-01 17:27:11 (18 days ago)
First Indexed	2026-02-23 19:44:19 (1 month ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Why Norway is dominating the Winter Olympics and what could US learn \| CNN
Meta Description	Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to CNN Sports. Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to CNN Sports . Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks. “It didn’t help,” he chuckled a few days ago. “I had to cheer just now because we’ve just won another gold in the Nordic Combined. We have 16, that’s the Olympic record, and we hope for a couple more. So, it’s fantastic!” Of course, the Games weren’t done then. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 golds – and 41 total medals. Ad Feedback It’s now an indisputable fact: Nobody can touch Norway at the Winter Olympics. From 2018 in Pyeongchang through the Italian Games in 2026, the Norwegians have always come out on top. A tiny nation of roughly five-and-a-half million people – about the same as the US state of South Carolina – has figured out how to keep beating countries like China (1.4 billion), the US (342 million), Germany (84 million), Italy (59 million) and Canada (40 million). Clearly, they’re doing something right, and perhaps some of their rival nations like the US could learn a thing or two from the Nordic champions. It might come as no surprise that a Nordic country would excel in winter sports, but the truth is that Norway has been punching well above its weight in many sports for some time. Norway has recently produced Olympic champions in beach volleyball and several in track and field – two quintessentially summer sports. Their triathlon program is celebrated as the best in the world, Viktor Hovland is one of the top golfers, Casper Ruud made it to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the “ Beautiful Game ” and Ada Hegerberg won the most prestigious individual honor in world soccer, the Ballon D’Or . There are many reasons for Norway’s success, but there is one common theme: An emphasis on fun and enjoyment that starts at the grassroots level. Until the age of 12 in Norway, nobody in youth sports is allowed to keep score, and there are no league standings either. As a result, there is far less destructive pressure and no reason to specialize too soon, and young athletes are encouraged to try out multiple sports. If one player gets a trophy, everyone gets a trophy; they want as many children as possible to return the following season. Such a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens. Norwegian coaches don’t tend to mistake early bloomers for talented athletes. “I find that many of the big sporting systems are more occupied with getting rid of people at the young age than develop many,” explained Øvebrø. “Why do I say that? It’s all about selection and selection is another way of getting rid of people. We are few. We have to take care of everybody.” Haaland played in the same mixed development group of 39 boys and one girl at Bryne FK until he was 16. The group was never broken up into first, second and third teams, nobody dropped out, and a handful of those players ended up turning professional. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo always thought he’d be a soccer player one day; in fact, he was sure of it . But he would come to realize that his true potential lay elsewhere – in Italy, he won six gold medals in cross-country skiing to become the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, his 11 gold medals surpassing three other athletes who had eight golds to their names. All are Norwegian, by the way. The sports development pipeline in Norway is less about trying to identify talent quickly and then turbo-charging the athletes to success, it’s more about letting them find their own way, ensuring that when they’re ready to join an elite-level program, they will make the most of it. “When you try different sports, you also meet different cultures and that means you develop the social skills to handle different kinds of people,” said Øvebrø. “There is a broad learning base and when you have those kinds of kids, it’s easier to build a high-performance culture; they know who they are, what they want. We like the kids to feel that they are in it for themselves.” The contrast with the system in the United States couldn’t be more stark. US comedian Josh Mancuso ridiculed the American travel baseball system, which starts at the age of 7, in a viral reel which has been seen by millions of people on Instagram. “First tournament is a regional in South Florida,” his coach character explained. “From there, we’ll head to Costa Rica and Ecuador for two more tournaments. You’ll need bats, gloves, cleats, pants, jerseys, specialty jerseys, carts, tents, chairs, speakers. This is basically the major leagues. … It will cost $27,000 per family.” “I think the video resonated with so many American families involved in travel sports because it’s one of those ‘it’s funny, but it’s not’ situations,” Mancuso told CNN Sports. “Parents are smiling through the pain while spending gobs of money on tournament fees, high-end equipment and name brand swag so their 11-year old feels like a MLB All-Star. I can’t lie though, I would have loved it all when I was a little slugger.” In every way, such programs are unthinkable in Norway, a highly egalitarian society, in which wealth and resources are distributed evenly. There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation. Geir Jordet is the professor of psychology and soccer at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. He told CNN Sports that his country’s sporting success can be summarized in three words: “Collaboration, communication and care.” Once the elite athletes have been identified, they are helped to fulfil their potential in programs that utilize cutting edge knowledge, science and technology, including the functional use of psychology. “The top Olympic Sports Center is 10 meters away from the Sport University where I’m currently sitting right now,” he said, emphasizing that Norway’s diminutive stature facilitates collaboration within the elite sports community. “There’s a very strong sharing culture across sports in Norway and also from academia and from science to sport. There are very short lines of communication when it comes to knowledge. People come to that center from different sports, they meet there, they train there together, they communicate and they learn from each other.” A rising tide lifts all boats in Norway, and – whether it’s athletes, programs or sports – they cooperate with other for as long as possible, they only compete when they must. Author Brad Stulberg, who recently published “The Way of Excellence,” is fascinated by the Norwegian approach, especially as he contrasts it with his own experience as a parent and coach in the US. “I think that Americans could learn a lot from the Norwegian model,” he told CNN Sports, “especially the emphasis on fun and participation over winning. The data is very clear, the number one reason that kids quit sports is because it’s no longer fun. The number two reason is because they feel too much pressure.” When Stulberg highlighted the reasons for Norway’s success in a post on Instagram, he says that some of the responses in the comments seemed to be triggered. “So many Americans just get deeply offended by this idea,” he explained. “It’s a lot of, like, batsh*t crazy parents who feel called out because they are on the sidelines screaming at referees at their eight-year old’s baseball game. It just makes no sense; the parents need to put the kids first. It behooves us to keep sports fun, to try to release the pressure, to develop a love for sport and then keep them in sport so that later on they can be competitive.” Tore Øvebrø says that by the age of 25, 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports. Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2024 that 70% of youth athletes drop out of organized sports by the age of 13 – injury and burnout are the principal reasons why. “Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations,” said the report.
Markdown	Ad Feedback Thank You\! Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much appreciated. Close [Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport) [NFL](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nfl) [NBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nba) [MLB](https://www.cnn.com/sport/mlb) [WNBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/wnba) [Golf](https://www.cnn.com/sport/golf) [Soccer](https://www.cnn.com/sport/soccer) [Tennis](https://www.cnn.com/sport/tennis) [Motorsport](https://www.cnn.com/sport/motorsport) [College Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport/college-sports) [Olympics](https://www.cnn.com/sport/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026) [Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/) [More]() [NFL](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nfl) [NBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nba) [MLB](https://www.cnn.com/sport/mlb) [WNBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/wnba) [Golf](https://www.cnn.com/sport/golf) [Soccer](https://www.cnn.com/sport/soccer) [Tennis](https://www.cnn.com/sport/tennis) [Motorsport](https://www.cnn.com/sport/motorsport) [College Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport/college-sports) [Olympics](https://www.cnn.com/sport/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026) [Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/) [Watch](https://www.cnn.com/subscription/all-access) [Listen](https://www.cnn.com/audio) Subscribe Sign in My Account - [Settings](https://www.cnn.com/account/settings) - [Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) - [Topics you follow](https://www.cnn.com/follow?iid=fw_var-nav) - [Sign out](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness) Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account Sign in My Account - [Settings](https://www.cnn.com/account/settings) - [Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) - [Topics you follow](https://www.cnn.com/follow?iid=fw_var-nav) - [Sign out](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness) Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account * [Listen](https://www.cnn.com/audio) [Watch](https://www.cnn.com/subscription/all-access) * Edition [US](https://us.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) [International](https://edition.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) [Arabic](https://arabic.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) [Español](https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) Edition - [US](https://us.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) - [International](https://edition.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) - [Arabic](https://arabic.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) - [Español](https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/?hpt=header_edition-picker) * [NFL](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nfl) [NBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nba) [MLB](https://www.cnn.com/sport/mlb) [WNBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/wnba) [Golf](https://www.cnn.com/sport/golf) [Soccer](https://www.cnn.com/sport/soccer) [Tennis](https://www.cnn.com/sport/tennis) [Motorsport](https://www.cnn.com/sport/motorsport) [College Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport/college-sports) [Olympics](https://www.cnn.com/sport/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026) [Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/) * Follow CNN Download the CNN App * - [US](https://www.cnn.com/us) - [Crime & Justice](https://www.cnn.com/us/crime-and-justice) - [Immigration](https://www.cnn.com/us/immigration) - [Education](https://www.cnn.com/us/education) - [Transportation](https://www.cnn.com/us/transportation) - [Race & Identity](https://www.cnn.com/us/race-and-identity) - [World](https://www.cnn.com/world) - [Africa](https://www.cnn.com/world/africa) - [Americas](https://www.cnn.com/world/americas) - [Asia](https://www.cnn.com/world/asia) - [Australia](https://www.cnn.com/world/australia) - [China](https://www.cnn.com/world/china) - [Europe](https://www.cnn.com/world/europe) - [India](https://www.cnn.com/world/india) - [Middle East](https://www.cnn.com/world/middle-east) - [United Kingdom](https://www.cnn.com/world/united-kingdom) - [Politics](https://www.cnn.com/politics) - [Elections 2026](https://www.cnn.com/election/2026) - [Trump](https://www.cnn.com/politics/president-donald-trump-47) - [Facts First](https://www.cnn.com/politics/fact-check) - [CNN Polls](https://www.cnn.com/polling) - [Redistricting Tracker](https://www.cnn.com/politics/state-redistricting-maps-vis/index.html) - [Epstein Files](https://www.cnn.com/politics/epstein-files) - [Business](https://www.cnn.com/business) - [Tech](https://www.cnn.com/business/tech) - [Media](https://www.cnn.com/business/media) - [Calculators](https://www.cnn.com/business/financial-calculators) - [Videos](https://www.cnn.com/business/videos) - [Markets](https://www.cnn.com/markets) - [Pre-markets](https://www.cnn.com/markets/premarkets) - [After-Hours](https://www.cnn.com/markets/after-hours) - [Fear & Greed](https://www.cnn.com/markets/fear-and-greed) - [Investing](https://www.cnn.com/business/investing) - [Markets Now](https://www.cnn.com/business/markets-now) - [Nightcap](https://www.cnn.com/business/markets/nightcap) - [Health](https://www.cnn.com/health) - [Life, But Better](https://www.cnn.com/interactive/life-but-better/) - [Fitness](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/fitness) - [Food](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/food) - [Sleep](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/sleep) - [Mindfulness](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/mindfulness) - [Relationships](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/relationships) - [CNN Underscored](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored) - [Electronics](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/electronics) - [Fashion](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/fashion) - [Beauty](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/beauty) - [Health & Fitness](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/health-fitness) - [Home](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/home) - [Reviews](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews) - [Deals](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/deals) - [Gifts](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/gifts) - [Travel](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/travel) - [Outdoors](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/outdoors) - [Pets](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/pets) - [Entertainment](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment) - [Movies](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/movies) - [Television](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/tv-shows) - [Celebrity](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/celebrities) - [Tech](https://www.cnn.com/business/tech) - [Innovate](https://www.cnn.com/business/tech/innovate) - [Style](https://www.cnn.com/style) - [Arts](https://www.cnn.com/style/arts) - [Design](https://www.cnn.com/style/design) - [Fashion](https://www.cnn.com/style/fashion) - [Architecture](https://www.cnn.com/style/architecture) - [Luxury](https://www.cnn.com/style/luxury) - [Beauty](https://www.cnn.com/style/beauty) - [Video](https://www.cnn.com/style/videos) - [Travel](https://www.cnn.com/travel) - [Destinations](https://www.cnn.com/travel/destinations) - [Food & Drink](https://www.cnn.com/travel/food-and-drink) - [Stay](https://www.cnn.com/travel/stay) - [Videos](https://www.cnn.com/travel/videos) - [Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sports) - [NFL](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nfl) - [NBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nba) - [MLB](https://www.cnn.com/sport/mlb) - [WNBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/wnba) - [Golf](https://www.cnn.com/sport/golf) - [Soccer](https://www.cnn.com/sport/soccer) - [Tennis](https://www.cnn.com/sport/tennis) - [Motorsport](https://www.cnn.com/sport/motorsport) - [College Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport/college-sports) - [Olympics](https://www.cnn.com/sport/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026) - [Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/) - [Science](https://www.cnn.com/science) - [Space](https://www.cnn.com/science/space) - [Life](https://www.cnn.com/science/life) - [Unearthed](https://www.cnn.com/science/unearthed) - [Climate](https://www.cnn.com/climate) - [Solutions](https://www.cnn.com/climate/solutions) - [Weather](https://www.cnn.com/weather) - [Weather](https://www.cnn.com/weather) - [Video](https://www.cnn.com/weather/video) - [Climate](https://www.cnn.com/climate) - [Ukraine-Russia War](https://www.cnn.com/world/europe/ukraine) - [Israel-Hamas War](https://www.cnn.com/world/middleeast/israel) - [Watch](https://www.cnn.com/watch) - [Featured](https://www.cnn.com/watch) - [Shows & Films](https://www.cnn.com/watch#shows-films) - [Network TV](https://www.cnn.com/videos/live) - [Clips](https://www.cnn.com/videos) - [CNN Headlines](https://www.cnn.com/videos/fast/cnn-headlines) - [Shows A-Z](https://www.cnn.com/tv/all-shows) - [CNN 10](https://www.cnn10.com/) - [CNN TV Schedule](https://www.cnn.com/tv/schedule/cnn) - [Listen](https://www.cnn.com/audio) - [CNN 5 Things](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/5-things) - [Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/chasing-life) - [The Assignment with Audie Cornish](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/the-assignment) - [One Thing](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/one-thing) - [Tug of War](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/tug-of-war) - [CNN Political Briefing](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/political-briefing) - [The Axe Files](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/axe-files) - [All There Is with Anderson Cooper](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/all-there-is-with-anderson-cooper) - [All CNN Audio podcasts](https://www.cnn.com/audio) - [Games](https://www.cnn.com/games) - [Daily Crossword](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/cnn-crossword) - [Jumble Crossword](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/jumble-crossword-daily) - [Photo Shuffle](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/photo-shuffle) - [Sudoblock](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/sudoblock) - [Sudoku](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/daily-sudoku) - [5 Things Quiz](https://cnn.it/5thingsquiz) - [About CNN](https://www.cnn.com/about) - [Subscribe](https://www.cnn.com/subscription?source=sub_web_footersubnav-link) - [Photos](https://www.cnn.com/world/photos) - [Investigations](https://www.cnn.com/us/cnn-investigates) - [CNN Profiles](https://www.cnn.com/profiles) - [CNN Leadership](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/cnn-leadership) - [CNN Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) - [Work for CNN](https://careers.wbd.com/cnnjobs) * Download the CNN App [![aiming-for-gold-logo-80.png](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)](https://www.cnn.com/sport/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026) Ad Feedback [Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport) 7 min read # Why Norway is dominating the Winter Olympics and what could US learn By [![](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn-fallback-image.jpg)](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/don-riddell)[Don Riddell](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/don-riddell) Updated Feb 22, 2026, 10:26 PM ET Published Feb 22, 2026, 4:55 AM ET Updated Feb 23, 2026 Updated Feb 22, 2026, 10:26 PM ET PUBLISHED Feb 22, 2026, 4:55 AM ET ![Gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway celebrates on the podium after the men's 50km mass start classic alongside silver medalist Martin Loewstroem Nyenget of Norway and bronze medalist Emil Iversen of Norway, on Saturday.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/2026-02-21t134632z-875957665-up1em2l1086sd-rtrmadp-3-olympics-2026-crosscountry.JPG?c=original&q=w_1041,c_fill) Gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway celebrates on the podium after the men's 50km mass start classic alongside silver medalist Martin Loewstroem Nyenget of Norway and bronze medalist Emil Iversen of Norway, on Saturday. Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters Olympics [See all topics](https://www.cnn.com/follow) Facebook Tweet [Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F02%2F22%2Fsport%2Fnorway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness "Share with email") Link Threads Link Copied\! Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to [CNN Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport). Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks. “It didn’t help,” he chuckled a few days ago. “I had to cheer just now because we’ve just won another gold in the Nordic Combined. We have 16, that’s the Olympic record, and we hope for a couple more. So, it’s fantastic!” Of course, the Games weren’t done then. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 golds – and 41 total medals. Ad Feedback It’s now an indisputable fact: Nobody can touch Norway at the Winter Olympics. From 2018 in Pyeongchang through the Italian Games in 2026, the Norwegians have always come out on top. A tiny nation of roughly five-and-a-half million people – about the same as the US state of South Carolina – has figured out how to keep beating countries like China (1.4 billion), the US (342 million), Germany (84 million), Italy (59 million) and Canada (40 million). Clearly, they’re doing something right, and perhaps some of their rival nations like the US could learn a thing or two from the Nordic champions. It might come as no surprise that a Nordic country would excel in winter sports, but the truth is that Norway has been punching well above its weight in many sports for some time. Norway has recently produced Olympic champions in beach volleyball and several in track and field – two quintessentially summer sports. ![Young Norwegian players stand during the national anthem ahead of an international friendly Under-16 soccer match against Denmark at The Macron Ynys Park in Port Talbot, Wales.](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn-fallback-image.jpg) Young Norwegian players stand during the national anthem ahead of an international friendly Under-16 soccer match against Denmark at The Macron Ynys Park in Port Talbot, Wales. Kian Abdullah /SPP/Sipa USA/AP Their triathlon program is celebrated as the best in the world, Viktor Hovland is one of the top golfers, Casper Ruud made it to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the “[Beautiful Game](https://www.cnn.com/sport/football)” and Ada Hegerberg won the most prestigious individual honor in world soccer, the [Ballon D’Or](https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/sport/soccer-ballon-dor-ousmane-dembele-aitana-bonmati). There are many reasons for Norway’s success, but there is one common theme: An emphasis on fun and enjoyment that starts at the grassroots level. Until the age of 12 in Norway, nobody in youth sports is allowed to keep score, and there are no league standings either. As a result, there is far less destructive pressure and no reason to specialize too soon, and young athletes are encouraged to try out multiple sports. If one player gets a trophy, everyone gets a trophy; they want as many children as possible to return the following season. ## Keeping top athletes engaged Such a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens. Norwegian coaches don’t tend to mistake early bloomers for talented athletes. “I find that many of the big sporting systems are more occupied with getting rid of people at the young age than develop many,” explained Øvebrø. “Why do I say that? It’s all about selection and selection is another way of getting rid of people. We are few. We have to take care of everybody.” Haaland played in the same mixed development group of 39 boys and one girl at Bryne FK until he was 16. The group was never broken up into first, second and third teams, nobody dropped out, and a handful of those players ended up turning professional. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo always thought he’d be a soccer player one day; in fact, he was sure of it . But he would come to realize that his true potential lay elsewhere – in Italy, he won six gold medals in cross-country skiing to become the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, his 11 gold medals surpassing three other athletes who had eight golds to their names. ![Klaebo approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 4 x 7.5km relay on February 15.](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn-fallback-image.jpg) Klaebo approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 4 x 7.5km relay on February 15. Evgeniy Maloletka/AP All are Norwegian, by the way. The sports development pipeline in Norway is less about trying to identify talent quickly and then turbo-charging the athletes to success, it’s more about letting them find their own way, ensuring that when they’re ready to join an elite-level program, they will make the most of it. “When you try different sports, you also meet different cultures and that means you develop the social skills to handle different kinds of people,” said Øvebrø. “There is a broad learning base and when you have those kinds of kids, it’s easier to build a high-performance culture; they know who they are, what they want. We like the kids to feel that they are in it for themselves.” ## ‘It’s funny, but it’s not’ The contrast with the system in the United States couldn’t be more stark. US comedian Josh Mancuso ridiculed the American travel baseball system, which starts at the age of 7, in [a viral reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVCKy6KkmP1/) which has been seen by millions of people on Instagram. “First tournament is a regional in South Florida,” his coach character explained. “From there, we’ll head to Costa Rica and Ecuador for two more tournaments. You’ll need bats, gloves, cleats, pants, jerseys, specialty jerseys, carts, tents, chairs, speakers. This is basically the major leagues. … It will cost \$27,000 per family.” “I think the video resonated with so many American families involved in travel sports because it’s one of those ‘it’s funny, but it’s not’ situations,” Mancuso told CNN Sports. “Parents are smiling through the pain while spending gobs of money on tournament fees, high-end equipment and name brand swag so their 11-year old feels like a MLB All-Star. I can’t lie though, I would have loved it all when I was a little slugger.” In every way, such programs are unthinkable in Norway, a highly egalitarian society, in which wealth and resources are distributed evenly. There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation. ![Norway's Karoline Offigstad Knotten shoots in the women's biathlon 4x6km relay event during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena on February 18.](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn-fallback-image.jpg) Norway's Karoline Offigstad Knotten shoots in the women's biathlon 4x6km relay event during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena on February 18. Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images Geir Jordet is the professor of psychology and soccer at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. He told CNN Sports that his country’s sporting success can be summarized in three words: “Collaboration, communication and care.” Once the elite athletes have been identified, they are helped to fulfil their potential in programs that utilize cutting edge knowledge, science and technology, including the functional use of psychology. “The top Olympic Sports Center is 10 meters away from the Sport University where I’m currently sitting right now,” he said, emphasizing that Norway’s diminutive stature facilitates collaboration within the elite sports community. “There’s a very strong sharing culture across sports in Norway and also from academia and from science to sport. There are very short lines of communication when it comes to knowledge. People come to that center from different sports, they meet there, they train there together, they communicate and they learn from each other.” ## Putting kids first A rising tide lifts all boats in Norway, and – whether it’s athletes, programs or sports – they cooperate with other for as long as possible, they only compete when they must. Author Brad Stulberg, who recently published “The Way of Excellence,” is fascinated by the Norwegian approach, especially as he contrasts it with his own experience as a parent and coach in the US. “I think that Americans could learn a lot from the Norwegian model,” he told CNN Sports, “especially the emphasis on fun and participation over winning. The data is very clear, the number one reason that kids quit sports is because it’s no longer fun. The number two reason is because they feel too much pressure.” ![Johannes Dale-Skjevdal crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 15 km mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva on Friday.](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn-fallback-image.jpg) Johannes Dale-Skjevdal crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 15 km mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva on Friday. David J. Phillip/AP When Stulberg highlighted the reasons for Norway’s success in a post on Instagram, he says that some of the responses in the comments seemed to be triggered. “So many Americans just get deeply offended by this idea,” he explained. “It’s a lot of, like, batsh\t crazy parents who feel called out because they are on the sidelines screaming at referees at their eight-year old’s baseball game. It just makes no sense; the parents need to put the kids first. It behooves us to keep sports fun, to try to release the pressure, to develop a love for sport and then keep them in sport so that later on they can be competitive.” Tore Øvebrø says that by the age of 25, 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports. Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2024 that 70% of youth athletes drop out of organized sports by the age of 13 – injury and burnout are the principal reasons why. “Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations,” said the report. Olympics [See all topics](https://www.cnn.com/follow) Facebook Tweet [Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F02%2F22%2Fsport%2Fnorway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness "Share with email") Link Threads Link Copied\! Ad Feedback Subscribe Sign in My Account - [Settings](https://www.cnn.com/account/settings) - [Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) - [Topics you follow](https://www.cnn.com/follow?iid=fw_var-nav) - [Sign out](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness) Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account [Listen](https://www.cnn.com/audio) [Watch](https://www.cnn.com/watch) * - [US](https://www.cnn.com/us) - [Crime & Justice](https://www.cnn.com/us/crime-and-justice) - [Immigration](https://www.cnn.com/us/immigration) - [Education](https://www.cnn.com/us/education) - [Transportation](https://www.cnn.com/us/transportation) - [Race & Identity](https://www.cnn.com/us/race-and-identity) - [World](https://www.cnn.com/world) - [Africa](https://www.cnn.com/world/africa) - [Americas](https://www.cnn.com/world/americas) - [Asia](https://www.cnn.com/world/asia) - [Australia](https://www.cnn.com/world/australia) - [China](https://www.cnn.com/world/china) - [Europe](https://www.cnn.com/world/europe) - [India](https://www.cnn.com/world/india) - [Middle East](https://www.cnn.com/world/middle-east) - [United Kingdom](https://www.cnn.com/world/united-kingdom) - [Politics](https://www.cnn.com/politics) - [Elections 2026](https://www.cnn.com/election/2026) - [Trump](https://www.cnn.com/politics/president-donald-trump-47) - [Facts First](https://www.cnn.com/politics/fact-check) - [CNN Polls](https://www.cnn.com/polling) - [Redistricting Tracker](https://www.cnn.com/politics/state-redistricting-maps-vis/index.html) - [Epstein Files](https://www.cnn.com/politics/epstein-files) - [Business](https://www.cnn.com/business) - [Tech](https://www.cnn.com/business/tech) - [Media](https://www.cnn.com/business/media) - [Calculators](https://www.cnn.com/business/financial-calculators) - [Videos](https://www.cnn.com/business/videos) - [Markets](https://www.cnn.com/markets) - [Pre-markets](https://www.cnn.com/markets/premarkets) - [After-Hours](https://www.cnn.com/markets/after-hours) - [Fear & Greed](https://www.cnn.com/markets/fear-and-greed) - [Investing](https://www.cnn.com/business/investing) - [Markets Now](https://www.cnn.com/business/markets-now) - [Nightcap](https://www.cnn.com/business/markets/nightcap) - [Health](https://www.cnn.com/health) - [Life, But Better](https://www.cnn.com/interactive/life-but-better/) - [Fitness](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/fitness) - [Food](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/food) - [Sleep](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/sleep) - [Mindfulness](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/mindfulness) - [Relationships](https://www.cnn.com/health/life-but-better/relationships) - [CNN Underscored](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored) - [Electronics](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/electronics) - [Fashion](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/fashion) - [Beauty](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/beauty) - [Health & Fitness](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/health-fitness) - [Home](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/home) - [Reviews](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews) - [Deals](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/deals) - [Gifts](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/gifts) - [Travel](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/travel) - [Outdoors](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/outdoors) - [Pets](https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/pets) - [Entertainment](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment) - [Movies](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/movies) - [Television](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/tv-shows) - [Celebrity](https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/celebrities) - [Tech](https://www.cnn.com/business/tech) - [Innovate](https://www.cnn.com/business/tech/innovate) - [Style](https://www.cnn.com/style) - [Arts](https://www.cnn.com/style/arts) - [Design](https://www.cnn.com/style/design) - [Fashion](https://www.cnn.com/style/fashion) - [Architecture](https://www.cnn.com/style/architecture) - [Luxury](https://www.cnn.com/style/luxury) - [Beauty](https://www.cnn.com/style/beauty) - [Video](https://www.cnn.com/style/videos) - [Travel](https://www.cnn.com/travel) - [Destinations](https://www.cnn.com/travel/destinations) - [Food & Drink](https://www.cnn.com/travel/food-and-drink) - [Stay](https://www.cnn.com/travel/stay) - [News](https://www.cnn.com/travel/news) - [Videos](https://www.cnn.com/travel/videos) - [Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sports) - [NFL](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nfl) - [NBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/nba) - [MLB](https://www.cnn.com/sport/mlb) - [WNBA](https://www.cnn.com/sport/wnba) - [Golf](https://www.cnn.com/sport/golf) - [Soccer](https://www.cnn.com/sport/soccer) - [Tennis](https://www.cnn.com/sport/tennis) - [Motorsport](https://www.cnn.com/sport/motorsport) - [College Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport/college-sports) - [Olympics](https://www.cnn.com/sport/milan-cortina-winter-olympics-2026) - [Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/) - [Science](https://www.cnn.com/science) - [Space](https://www.cnn.com/science/space) - [Life](https://www.cnn.com/science/life) - [Unearthed](https://www.cnn.com/science/unearthed) - [Climate](https://www.cnn.com/climate) - [Solutions](https://www.cnn.com/climate/solutions) - [Weather](https://www.cnn.com/weather) - [Weather](https://www.cnn.com/weather) - [Video](https://www.cnn.com/weather/video) - [Climate](https://www.cnn.com/climate) - [Ukraine-Russia War](https://www.cnn.com/world/europe/ukraine) - [Israel-Hamas War](https://www.cnn.com/world/middleeast/israel) - [Watch](https://www.cnn.com/watch) - [Featured](https://www.cnn.com/watch) - [Shows & Films](https://www.cnn.com/watch#shows-films) - [Network TV](https://www.cnn.com/videos/live) - [Clips](https://www.cnn.com/videos) - [CNN Headlines](https://www.cnn.com/videos/fast/cnn-headlines) - [Shows A-Z](https://www.cnn.com/tv/all-shows) - [CNN 10](https://www.cnn10.com/) - [CNN TV Schedule](https://www.cnn.com/tv/schedule/cnn) - [Listen](https://www.cnn.com/audio) - [CNN 5 Things](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/5-things) - [Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/chasing-life) - [The Assignment with Audie Cornish](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/the-assignment) - [One Thing](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/one-thing) - [Tug of War](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/tug-of-war) - [CNN Political Briefing](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/political-briefing) - [The Axe Files](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/axe-files) - [All There Is with Anderson Cooper](https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/all-there-is-with-anderson-cooper) - [All CNN Audio podcasts](https://www.cnn.com/audio) - [Games](https://www.cnn.com/games) - [Daily Crossword](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/cnn-crossword) - [Jumble Crossword](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/jumble-crossword-daily) - [Photo Shuffle](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/photo-shuffle) - [Sudoblock](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/sudoblock) - [Sudoku](https://www.cnn.com/games/play/daily-sudoku) - [5 Things Quiz](https://cnn.it/5thingsquiz) - [About CNN](https://www.cnn.com/about) - [Subscribe](https://www.cnn.com/subscription?source=sub_web_footersubnav-link) - [Photos](https://www.cnn.com/world/photos) - [Investigations](https://www.cnn.com/us/cnn-investigates) - [CNN Profiles](https://www.cnn.com/profiles) - [CNN Leadership](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/cnn-leadership) - [CNN Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) - [Work for CNN](https://careers.wbd.com/cnnjobs) * [Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport) [Watch](https://www.cnn.com/watch) [Listen](https://www.cnn.com/audio) * Subscribe Sign in My Account - [Settings](https://www.cnn.com/account/settings) - [Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) - [Topics you follow](https://www.cnn.com/follow?iid=fw_var-nav) - [Sign out](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness) Your CNN account Sign in to your CNN account Follow CNN * Download the CNN app Download the CNN app * [Terms of Use](https://www.cnn.com/terms) [Privacy Policy](https://www.cnn.com/privacy) [Manage Cookies](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness) [Ad Choices](https://www.cnn.com/ad-choices) [Accessibility & CC](https://www.cnn.com/accessibility) [About](https://www.cnn.com/about) [Subscribe](https://www.cnn.com/subscription?source=sub_web_footerlink-link) [Newsletters](https://www.cnn.com/newsletters) [Transcripts](https://www.cnn.com/transcripts) [Help Center](https://help.cnn.com/) © 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network. ## Download the CNN app Scan the QR code to download the CNN app on Google Play. ![Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from Google Play.](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/google-play-cnn-app-qr-code.png) ## Download the CNN app Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store. ![Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/app-store-cnn-app-qr-code.png) ![CNN Logo](https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/cnn.svg) ## Legal Terms and Privacy By clicking Agree, you have read and agree to the Terms of Use and agree to the collection and use of your information by cookies and similar technologies, as set forth in our Privacy Policy. By clicking "Agree", you have read and agree to the [Terms of Use](https://www.cnn.com/terms) and agree to the collection and use of your information by cookies and similar technologies, as set forth in our [Privacy Policy](https://www.cnn.com/privacy). [Agree](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness)
Readable Markdown	Norway’s director of elite sport sounded a little hoarse when he answered the phone to [CNN Sports](https://www.cnn.com/sport). Tore Øvebrø said he had just caught a cold, but he admitted that his raspy voice might also have something to do with his cheering over the last two weeks. “It didn’t help,” he chuckled a few days ago. “I had to cheer just now because we’ve just won another gold in the Nordic Combined. We have 16, that’s the Olympic record, and we hope for a couple more. So, it’s fantastic!” Of course, the Games weren’t done then. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 golds – and 41 total medals. Ad Feedback It’s now an indisputable fact: Nobody can touch Norway at the Winter Olympics. From 2018 in Pyeongchang through the Italian Games in 2026, the Norwegians have always come out on top. A tiny nation of roughly five-and-a-half million people – about the same as the US state of South Carolina – has figured out how to keep beating countries like China (1.4 billion), the US (342 million), Germany (84 million), Italy (59 million) and Canada (40 million). Clearly, they’re doing something right, and perhaps some of their rival nations like the US could learn a thing or two from the Nordic champions. It might come as no surprise that a Nordic country would excel in winter sports, but the truth is that Norway has been punching well above its weight in many sports for some time. Norway has recently produced Olympic champions in beach volleyball and several in track and field – two quintessentially summer sports. Their triathlon program is celebrated as the best in the world, Viktor Hovland is one of the top golfers, Casper Ruud made it to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the “[Beautiful Game](https://www.cnn.com/sport/football)” and Ada Hegerberg won the most prestigious individual honor in world soccer, the [Ballon D’Or](https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/sport/soccer-ballon-dor-ousmane-dembele-aitana-bonmati). There are many reasons for Norway’s success, but there is one common theme: An emphasis on fun and enjoyment that starts at the grassroots level. Until the age of 12 in Norway, nobody in youth sports is allowed to keep score, and there are no league standings either. As a result, there is far less destructive pressure and no reason to specialize too soon, and young athletes are encouraged to try out multiple sports. If one player gets a trophy, everyone gets a trophy; they want as many children as possible to return the following season. Such a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens. Norwegian coaches don’t tend to mistake early bloomers for talented athletes. “I find that many of the big sporting systems are more occupied with getting rid of people at the young age than develop many,” explained Øvebrø. “Why do I say that? It’s all about selection and selection is another way of getting rid of people. We are few. We have to take care of everybody.” Haaland played in the same mixed development group of 39 boys and one girl at Bryne FK until he was 16. The group was never broken up into first, second and third teams, nobody dropped out, and a handful of those players ended up turning professional. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo always thought he’d be a soccer player one day; in fact, he was sure of it . But he would come to realize that his true potential lay elsewhere – in Italy, he won six gold medals in cross-country skiing to become the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, his 11 gold medals surpassing three other athletes who had eight golds to their names. All are Norwegian, by the way. The sports development pipeline in Norway is less about trying to identify talent quickly and then turbo-charging the athletes to success, it’s more about letting them find their own way, ensuring that when they’re ready to join an elite-level program, they will make the most of it. “When you try different sports, you also meet different cultures and that means you develop the social skills to handle different kinds of people,” said Øvebrø. “There is a broad learning base and when you have those kinds of kids, it’s easier to build a high-performance culture; they know who they are, what they want. We like the kids to feel that they are in it for themselves.” The contrast with the system in the United States couldn’t be more stark. US comedian Josh Mancuso ridiculed the American travel baseball system, which starts at the age of 7, in [a viral reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVCKy6KkmP1/) which has been seen by millions of people on Instagram. “First tournament is a regional in South Florida,” his coach character explained. “From there, we’ll head to Costa Rica and Ecuador for two more tournaments. You’ll need bats, gloves, cleats, pants, jerseys, specialty jerseys, carts, tents, chairs, speakers. This is basically the major leagues. … It will cost \$27,000 per family.” “I think the video resonated with so many American families involved in travel sports because it’s one of those ‘it’s funny, but it’s not’ situations,” Mancuso told CNN Sports. “Parents are smiling through the pain while spending gobs of money on tournament fees, high-end equipment and name brand swag so their 11-year old feels like a MLB All-Star. I can’t lie though, I would have loved it all when I was a little slugger.” In every way, such programs are unthinkable in Norway, a highly egalitarian society, in which wealth and resources are distributed evenly. There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation. Geir Jordet is the professor of psychology and soccer at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. He told CNN Sports that his country’s sporting success can be summarized in three words: “Collaboration, communication and care.” Once the elite athletes have been identified, they are helped to fulfil their potential in programs that utilize cutting edge knowledge, science and technology, including the functional use of psychology. “The top Olympic Sports Center is 10 meters away from the Sport University where I’m currently sitting right now,” he said, emphasizing that Norway’s diminutive stature facilitates collaboration within the elite sports community. “There’s a very strong sharing culture across sports in Norway and also from academia and from science to sport. There are very short lines of communication when it comes to knowledge. People come to that center from different sports, they meet there, they train there together, they communicate and they learn from each other.” A rising tide lifts all boats in Norway, and – whether it’s athletes, programs or sports – they cooperate with other for as long as possible, they only compete when they must. Author Brad Stulberg, who recently published “The Way of Excellence,” is fascinated by the Norwegian approach, especially as he contrasts it with his own experience as a parent and coach in the US. “I think that Americans could learn a lot from the Norwegian model,” he told CNN Sports, “especially the emphasis on fun and participation over winning. The data is very clear, the number one reason that kids quit sports is because it’s no longer fun. The number two reason is because they feel too much pressure.” When Stulberg highlighted the reasons for Norway’s success in a post on Instagram, he says that some of the responses in the comments seemed to be triggered. “So many Americans just get deeply offended by this idea,” he explained. “It’s a lot of, like, batsh\*t crazy parents who feel called out because they are on the sidelines screaming at referees at their eight-year old’s baseball game. It just makes no sense; the parents need to put the kids first. It behooves us to keep sports fun, to try to release the pressure, to develop a love for sport and then keep them in sport so that later on they can be competitive.” Tore Øvebrø says that by the age of 25, 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports. Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2024 that 70% of youth athletes drop out of organized sports by the age of 13 – injury and burnout are the principal reasons why. “Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations,” said the report.
Shard	51 (laksa)
Root Hash	2312100192101524051
Unparsed URL	com,cnn!www,/2026/02/22/sport/norway-dominating-sports-winter-olympics-wellness s443