By Pearl Josephine Nazare
MILAN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Norwegian speed skater Peder Kongshaug heads into the Milano Cortina Winter Games with a relaxed attitude as he targets his first individual Olympic gold, having already claimed world and European 1,500m titles and a team pursuit gold at Beijing.
Born in Wimbledon, England, the 24-year-old has established himself as a force in the 1,500m.
Since Beijing, he has added 1,500m honours with world championship gold in Hamar in 2025 and European titles in Heerenveen
in 2024 and Tomaszow Mazowiecki in 2026.
"I'm really good at peaking in the right moments," Kongshaug said on Friday. "It's given me relaxed shoulders because I've accomplished the 'big three': the Olympic gold, the European gold and the world championship gold.
"What comes now is just a bonus. I still feel eager to hunt that (individual Olympic) gold medal, but I don't feel like my life depends on it... I think I will be able to do that."
Kongshaug faces stiff competition in the 1,500m in Milan, particularly from 21-year-old American Jordan Stolz, who has emerged as the event favourite.
Stolz is tipped for gold in three events - the 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m - as well as the unpredictable mass start race.
"I know that Jordan is something the world has never seen," Kongshaug said. "He could do any sport, and he would be the best. That's how good he is.
"When he came, he raised a level. Everybody just followed. The level now, if you compare it with four years ago, is different. We need people like him to show what's possible.
"I know I beat him before, and I know it's possible to do it again."
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Milan;Editing by Christian Radnedge)
