Petter Northug is Norway's new cross-country hero

Mar 1, 2009, 15:28 GMT

Norway\'s gold medal winner Petter Northug (C) is flanked by Sweden silver medal winner Anders Soedergren, left, and Italian bronze medal winner Giorgio Di Centa during the medal ceremony of the Individual Gundersen NH 10 km at the Nordic Combined event of the Nordic Skiing World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, 22 February 2009. EPA/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

Liberec - Petter Northug was already looking ahead at the 2011 home world championships in Oslo shortly after claiming his third gold medal at the Liberec edition on Sunday.

'I want to be as successful in Oslo as I was here,' the 23-year-old said.

Northug had just won the 50-kilometres marathon to go with gold in the 30km pursuit and the relay as he shook off the ghosts of the past for good and became the most successful athlete along with Finnish women's skier Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (three gold, one bronze).

Northug fell over his ski-pole when he attacked for victory in the 2007 worlds pursuit in Sapporo and had to settle for fifth place. But he showed his deadly finish there in the relay, and then again three times in Liberec.

'I am delighted to get the gold after what happened in Sapporo,' said Northug. 'The last two years were a nightmare for me. Now I can sleep well for the next two years.'

While no one argues that Northug has the deadliest finish in cross-country skiing, others are not happy with his tactics of rarely taking the lead and rather skiing in the slipstream of others before his final kick.

Sunday's bronze medallist Tobias Angerer of Germany spoke of 'psychological warfare' and said Northug got physical during the race.

Team-mate Axel Teichmann, whom Northug beat for the relay title, said: 'You need more than success to be a star. He doesn't behave like a champion.'

Next come the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, where Northug has something to prove as in Liberec.

Then aged 19, he won all four titles on offer at the 2006 junior world championships and was hailed the latest big talent in Norway which had no true star after the eras of Vegard Ulvang, Bjoern Dahlie and Thomas Alsgaard.

But he was not nominated for the Olympics that year in Turin, which he considered a huge disappointment.

Due to various factors Norway got no gold medal at all there in cross-country skiing, and Northug proved what he is worth a few weeks later when he become the youngest World Cup race winner in a pursuit in Borlange, Sweden.

As a result, Northug will be hungry for success in Vancouver and must be rated a top contender after his perfect record heroics in Liberec.

'I had three races in Liberec and took three gold medals. I am very satisfied,' said Northug.