Marit Bjørgen is the most successful cross-country skier in Olympic history. But who are the next nine? Here is the overview of the women with the most Olympic medals in cross-country skiing.

See the complete overview and the top 10 most successful women in Olympic cross-country skiing further down in the article.

Marit Bjørgen is the most successful cross-country skier in Olympic history, regardless of gender. She won a total of 15 medals, including eight golds, across three Olympic Games (2010, 2014, and 2018). Overall, only two Norwegians feature in the top 10.

Behind Bjørgen, there is a significant gap down to the following two athletes: Raisa Smetanina of the Soviet Union and Stefania Belmondo of Italy. Both have won 10 Olympic medals each. Smetanina claimed four golds, while Belmondo took two.

Charlotte Kalla, Sweden’s most successful female cross-country skier, is in fourth place. She has won nine Olympic medals, including three golds.

Therese Johaug makes it into the top 10, sharing tenth place with Russia’s Juliya Chepalova. Both have won six medals each. Johaug has four golds, while Chepalova has three.

Also Read:
The stars of Olympic biathlon: Top 10 most decorated women of all time
The stars of Olympic biathlon: Top 10 most decorated men of all time

Top 10 – most Olympic medals in cross-country skiing, women (ranked by total medals)

1. Marit Bjørgen, Norway: 15 medals (8 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze)
2. Raisa Smetanina, Soviet Union: 10 medals (4 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze)
3. Stefania Belmondo, Italy: 10 medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze)
4. Lyubov Egorova, Soviet Union/Russia: 9 medals (6 gold, 3 silver)
5. Charlotte Kalla, Sweden: 9 medals (3 gold, 6 silver)
6. Galina Kulakova, Soviet Union: 8 medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
7. Larisa Lazutina, Soviet Union/Russia: 7 medals (5 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
8. Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi (Hämäläinen), Finland: 7 medals (3 gold, 4 bronze)
9. Jelena Välbe, Soviet Union/Russia: 7 medals (3 gold, 4 bronze)
10. Therese Johaug, Norway: 6 medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
11. Juliya Chepalova, Russia: 6 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)

(Sources: FIS, Wikipedia, IOC)

Olympics 2026 – Key facts

The Winter Olympics in Italy will be held from February 6 to 22, 2026.

The cross-country skiing competitions at the Olympics will take place from February 7 to 22. All events will be held in Val di Fiemme.

There will be a total of 12 medal events, six for men and six for women: 20km skiathlon, classic sprint, 10km freestyle, relay, team sprint, and 50km classic.

Read More – Program for cross-country skiing at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.