Cross-country skiing: Petter Northug Jr changes course and skips the 2026 Olympic Games
In recent months, Petter Northug Jr has (once again) been in the news for raising the possibility of competing in the Milan/Cortina Olympic Games, scheduled for next February in Italy. To do so, the Norwegian was even considering taking Mexican sporting nationality to try his luck.
However, the crucial deadline of the new season is unlikely to be reached for the cross-country skiing legend. The whimsical Scandinavian has revised his plans. From now on, he plans to change nationality in 2026 to attend the World Championships in Falun (Sweden) the following winter, when he will be 41.
“I can say that negotiations are still underway with several nations,” he told VG. It will take some time to see whether or not this will work, but in the autumn we should know. I’ll then be able to change nationality in 2026 and give it my all for the world championships in Falun in 2027. It would be great to finish my career there.
It’s a great way to come full circle, as Petter Northug Jr forged his legend on Swedish soil during the 2015 edition of the world event, where he collected four titles. With this in mind, the consultant for TV2 is still hoping to represent Mexico: “I can’t say too much , but I can confirm that one of the countries I’m talking to is Mexico. I’m in talks with their embassy in Oslo,” he says.
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