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TESERO, Italy — A decade after the United States men’s cross-country ski team last stood on the podium, a new chapter unfolded at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday. Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher secured a silver medal in the team sprint relay, marking a significant breakthrough for American cross-country skiing. The victory came as Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo continued his dominant run, claiming his fifth gold medal of the Games alongside teammate Einar Hedegart.

Klæbo’s win brings him within one gold medal of a historic sweep of all cross-country events, a feat he could achieve in Saturday’s 50km race. The 29-year-ancient Norwegian has already broken the all-time Winter Olympics gold medal record, with Wednesday’s victory being his 10th overall – two ahead of any other athlete. His fifth gold in Milan Cortina ties U.S. Speedskater Eric Heiden’s record for the most gold medals won in a single Winter Olympics.

U.S. Team Overcomes Challenges to Claim Silver

The team sprint relay involves six laps, with each skier completing three legs. The U.S. Team strategically selected Schumacher to ski the crucial anchor leg. While Klæbo and Hedegart established a slight lead, Schumacher relentlessly pressured the Norwegian skier throughout the final loop. Cresting the final hill in second place, Schumacher successfully held off Italy’s Federico Pellegrino to secure the silver medal.

“I think I felt anxiety for the first time in my life,” said the pair’s coach, Matt Whitcomb, reflecting on the tense final moments. “Tightness in my chest for the last several days — we were very nervous today.”

The American duo’s performance represents a remarkable improvement from the 2022 Olympics, where they finished ninth in the same event. This silver medal marks the first U.S. Medal in the team sprint since Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins’ historic gold in the women’s competition at the 2018 Beijing Olympics.

A Passing of the Torch

Randall and Schumacher both hail from Alaska, and a symbolic gesture underscores the transition within the U.S. Team. Years ago, Randall gifted Schumacher a pair of her old poles, and now, the legacy is being passed on from the retiring veterans – Randall, who retired in 2018, and Diggins, who plans to retire at the end of this season – to the rising stars, Ogden and Schumacher.

The emotional weight of the moment was evident as Schumacher collapsed into the snow after crossing the finish line, with Ogden draping himself over his exhausted teammate. Ogden, despite the elation, was too fatigued to perform his signature celebratory back somersault off the podium. “It’s insane,” Ogden said. “Man, we proved today and all week we are here to stay, and the USA guys are in good form, so it was awesome.”

Tactical Adjustments and Future Prospects

The U.S. Team faced an unexpected challenge during the race when their pre-planned exchange strategy fell apart. “Without fail, every single time we came in on the other side and had to cross through like 15 people,” Ogden explained. “Between us, we both realised it wasn’t working, but we couldn’t risk going to the left side and having him not see us. So we had to stick with it.”

Despite this setback, the U.S. Team had already demonstrated their potential by qualifying for the final with a time over two seconds faster than Norway. They also achieved a historic first – a World Cup podium finish in the event in Switzerland last month. Ogden’s individual success last week, securing a second-place finish in the individual sprint, further solidified the team’s momentum and ended a 50-year medal drought for U.S. Men’s cross-country skiing, as reported by The New York Times.

“Ben set me up in that last lap perfectly,” Schumacher said. “So I had a pretty simple job to do, and I’m really glad I was able to do that. I had to show up today and believe I could do it, look at Klæbo’s butt and lock in and follow that to the finish line. I know I can ski technically just as well as him through the corners, and I felt I came into the hill with good speed.”

Schumacher’s journey to the podium wasn’t without its hurdles. He experienced a crash during the opening lap of the men’s skiathlon and failed to qualify for the individual sprint knockout stages. But, he found inspiration in watching his roommate, Ogden, secure silver in that event. “Getting a medal is huge but it’s a product of what I’ve done for the last 10 days,” Schumacher said. “They’ve not been that uncomplicated.”

Looking ahead, Ogden, 30, and Schumacher, 29, are poised to continue building on this success. When asked if another 50 years would pass before the next U.S. Men’s cross-country medal, Ogden confidently replied, “Somebody asked me that last time, and I said no. And now here we are, five days later. So, no — I don’t think it’ll be another 50 years.”

The success of Ogden and Schumacher signals a promising future for U.S. Men’s cross-country skiing, and fans will be eager to see what they accomplish in the years to come.

What are your thoughts on the U.S. Team’s performance? Share your comments below and join the conversation!

Connecticut is set to expand access to vital healthcare training thanks to a $1 million federal investment secured by Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01). The funding will bolster the Harriott Community Healthcare Academy, a program rapidly becoming a national model for addressing the critical shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and other healthcare professionals. The expansion will bring training opportunities to Bloomfield and rural areas of Northwestern Connecticut, increasing the number of qualified healthcare workers across the state.

The investment, secured through the Community Project Funding (CPF) process, will enable the Academy to secure additional locations and hire certified teachers, significantly increasing its capacity. This comes as Connecticut, like much of the nation, grapples with a severe healthcare workforce crisis, putting strain on hospitals and long-term care facilities. The Harriott Community Healthcare Academy has quickly emerged as a key player in bridging this gap, offering a fast-track pathway to a rewarding career in healthcare.

“We are facing a nationwide nursing shortage and should be doing everything we can to support health care providers and the next generation of nursing assistants,” said Larson. “Sasa Harriott has created a model for the nation, equipping students with the skills they need to enter the nursing field and provide the care patients deserve. This new federal funding will broaden the program’s reach into our rural communities, ensuring individuals have the job training opportunities and access to care they need. I have been proud to support this groundbreaking work and will work with Sasa and our state and local partners to deliver federal funding and continue to expand this amazing program across the state.”

The Harriott Community Healthcare Academy offers a STEM simulation lab and educational facility providing CNA training and certification. Students can become licensed CNAs in less than five weeks, with the program as well offering mentorship, career counseling, and wrap-around support services. In August 2025, Larson attended the graduation ceremony for 72 new CNAs who completed their training at the Academy, highlighting the program’s immediate impact. Details of the graduation ceremony were previously reported.

Expanding Access to Healthcare Training

With this new funding, the Academy will extend its reach beyond its current location, establishing a presence in Bloomfield and bringing training opportunities to underserved rural communities in Northwestern Connecticut. This expansion is designed to address geographic disparities in access to healthcare training and ensure that individuals throughout the state have the opportunity to pursue a career in the healthcare field. The funding will also support the hiring of additional certified teachers, allowing the Academy to accommodate a larger number of students.

“This investment is about people, opportunity, and healthier communities,” said Sasa Harriott, President of the Harriott Community Health Initiative. “We are grateful to Congressman John Larson for making it possible to expand access to care and create meaningful pathways into the healthcare workforce.”

Larson’s Broader Efforts to Address Healthcare Workforce Shortages

This funding is part of a larger effort by Rep. Larson to address the nationwide healthcare worker shortage. He has introduced the Pathways to Health Careers Act, a comprehensive plan to increase funding for programs like the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG), including his HOPE Act, with his Democratic colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee. These initiatives aim to create more pathways into healthcare careers and support the development of a skilled and diverse healthcare workforce.

Larson also secured initial seed money of $150,000 for the Harriott Community Healthcare Academy, which helped 112 students move through the program in just over a year, with 72 already licensed CNAs and 40 more finalizing their studies. A recent announcement detailed the $1 million in new federal funding.

The need for increased healthcare training programs is underscored by the ongoing shortage of qualified professionals. According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, access to care remains a significant challenge in many communities across the country.

Looking ahead, the expansion of the Harriott Community Healthcare Academy represents a significant step towards addressing the healthcare workforce shortage in Connecticut. The program’s success will likely serve as a model for other states seeking to expand access to healthcare training and create a more robust and resilient healthcare workforce. The continued collaboration between federal, state, and local partners will be crucial to ensuring the long-term success of this initiative.

What are your thoughts on this expansion? Share your comments below and assist us spread the word about this vital initiative!

Markus Bienert has been appointed as the fresh head of the Education &amp. Economic Development department for the city of Crailsheim, effective February 18, 2026. Bienert, previously a rehabilitation manager and data protection officer, will oversee these key municipal functions.

The appointment was announced by the Crailsheim city administration. Bienert’s previous experience includes roles focused on data security and personnel support, a background he is expected to leverage in his new position. He succeeds an as-yet unnamed predecessor in leading the department, which is responsible for a broad range of civic services.

According to the city’s website, Bienert will report directly to Oberbürgermeister Dr. Christoph Grimmer, who holds overall leadership of the Crailsheim administration. Grimmer, elected in 2017, also chairs the city council and oversees the departments of Finance, Administration, Education & Economic Development, Digital & Communication, and Legal & Revision.

Alongside his new role, Bienert also serves as the data protection officer for multiple schools in the region, including the Leonhard Sachs Schule and the Käthe-Kollwitz-Schule in Crailsheim, as well as the Realschule zur Flügelau. These appointments place him at the intersection of educational policy and data privacy, a growing area of concern for educational institutions.

The Käthe-Kollwitz-Schule’s data protection notice, updated July 19, 2023, explicitly lists Bienert as the contact for data protection inquiries, providing an email address and postal address at the Staatliches Schulamt Künzelsau. Similar contact information is available through the Realschule zur Flügelau.

The city of Crailsheim’s administrative structure lists Bienert’s contact information as +49 7951 403-1214 and markus.bienert (at)crailsheim.de, specifically for the Digitales & Kommunikation department, in addition to his new role overseeing Education & Economic Development.