'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUI/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAANBUyo//xAAfEAABAwMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAUSEyExQlH/2gAIAQEAAT8AlQJhvlvlR33jEaQ4l+MCAleWISeeu5rRT5X/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEf/aAAgBAgEBPwCv/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAwEBPwB//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jessie Diggins was recently awarded the prestigious Holmenkollen Medal, Norway's most decorated award in skiing. She became the first American to win this award. This came after the completion of the 50k Women's Classic.
The Holmenkollen Cross Country Swimming Championships is one of the most formidable skiing events in the world. It started in the late 1800s. Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan secured the top-15 spot in the competition for the USA as all other US racers were in the top 30.
"Following the completion of the men's 50k classic, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway presented Jessie with the medal. Historically, the Holmenkollen Medal has been awarded to 162 athletes, across all Nordic disciplines, and signifies top placings in international championships and other international events, including the Holmenkollen!" the U.S. Ski & Snowobard Team posted on their X (formerly Twittter) account.
Diggins finished 11th in the race as she beat her main competitor for the Crystal Globe, Linn Svahn by a margin of 50 seconds. With this, the Olympic gold medalist maintained her lead in the competition with Svahn and most importantly for the trophy. After the race, the 32-year-old opened up about the struggles she had to face during the race.
Jessie Diggins said in the post-match conference:
"[My] skis were good, which is awesome. I was focused and skiing with the best technique that I could in the moment, [though I ] was really struggling with cramping the last half of the race, and couldn’t control my muscles."
Jessie Diggins is prioritizing her mental health as the season progresses
Jessica Diggins won her first individual title in the 10km freestyle last year. However, she has revealed that her eating disorder has returned and she is struggling with it. Owing to this she is looking to take the season "one day at a time and one race at a time."
On November 20, in an interview with reporters on a press conference call, Diggins stated:
"Mental health is physical health; eating disorders are not a behavioral choice. I think it can be really challenging and scary subject, and it makes me feel really vulnerable putting it out there because everyone knows something really big about me. But at the same time, I'm trying to change the culture of sport for the better."
During the conference, the 32-year-old also opened up about her need for further improvements in the game. Jessie Diggins, a six-time world medallist, has been to three Olympics winning a gold, silver and bronze medal.
