Red-hot Bolshunov braves cold to take gold

Alexander Bolshunov brushed off fears of frostbite to take gold for the Russian Olympic Committee in the men’s 50km freestyle race on Saturday, saying the harder the conditions, the easier it was for him and his team. The race was put back by an hour and cut to 30km due to bitterly cold temperatures and biting winds at the National Cross-Country Centre but the changes did not bother Bolshunov, who would have preferred to go the full distance.

“I wouldn’t exactly feel good with this kind of weather, but I did say that the more challenging it is, the easier it is for us (the Russian team),” he told reporters. “When I found out that the race would be shortened, I was a bit upset, I was getting ready for 50km but then I understand with the gusty wind like that and freezing temperatures, the outcome wouldn’t have been as good, possibly