Fifteen years ago, Sondre Brunstad Fet was a promising cross-country skier. He was the best in his year class for the More and Romsdal region and competed against Johannes Hosflot Klaebo, who was one year older, to be Central Norway's greatest talent on skis.
In the two-kilometer classic discipline, it was Brunstad Fet who emerged victorious against Klaebo, who has since gone on to become the greatest cross-country skier of all time.
Bodo/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen was asked about Fet's choice fifteen years ago and whether he is happy that the midfielder chose football in the end after the game against Inter.
"I bet Klaebo is pretty happy, too. He wouldn't have been an Olympian of all time if Fet had focused on cross-country skiing. We have to angle it that way. At least you have a headline there", said Knutsen with a twinkle in his eye after the match.
Fet felt he had to give up cross-country skiing. Focusing on two sports at the same time took its toll at a young age. "The strain on the body became too heavy in the last year. I ended up being overtrained", Fet told Sunnmørsposten in 2018.
That choice was also a topic when Fet met with the media after the impressive performance against Inter. "I don't regret that choice today", said the 29-year-old in the mixed zone.
Klaebo won a 10th gold medal in cross-country skiing at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Wednesday, to set another Winter Games record.
The 29-year old Norwegain raced with Einar Hedegart and won the men's team sprint for his fifth gold at the 2026 Games, clocking a time of 18 minutes, 28.9 seconds.
This made him only the second Olympian -- along with swimming great Michael Phelps -- with at least 10 gold medals. The American swimmer won 23 golds over four Olympics from 2004 to 2016, including eight wins at the 2008 Beijing Games.
