Four-time Olympic medalist Therese Johaug ran for the last time in the 30km mass start of the World Cup in Oslo on Saturday, sealing the distance World Cup for the fifth time.

Johaug escaped at the end of the first lap of the four and held a lead of over a minute before claiming victory.

“There are a lot of emotions,” said the 14-time world champion as she crossed the finish line for Andrea Bocelli’s “It’s Time to Say Goodbye.”

“I started here in 2011, today is my last race here. It was cloudless skies and very crowded, just like in 2011. I’m so happy now but also very sad.”

On Friday, the 33-year-old skier wrote on social media that it was time for her to focus on projects other than cross-country skiing.

She wrote on Instagram: “On March 5, 2011 I won the three mile World Cup on home soil, my first victory as a senior and the start of an adventure that has taken me to places I never thought to achieve.

“In many ways I feel like I have come full circle to where I was on Saturday March 5, 2022, standing at the start line for another three miles at Holmenkollen.

“I really don’t want the journey to end, but there is a time for everything, and I think now is the time for me to do something other than commit to cross-country skiing full time. “

Four years ago, Johaug’s reputation took a hit when she was banned from competing at Pyeongchang 2018 because she was serving an 18-month suspension for testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol.

The steroid was in a cream given to him by a team doctor to treat sunburned lips.