• Sochi 2014

Norway's Bjoerndalen wins record 13th medal

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen can win another medal in the last men's biathlon event in Sochi on Saturday © Getty Images

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In a fitting way to mark to become the most decorated Winter Olympian ever, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen ensured his record 13th medal was gold Wednesday when he helped Norway win the first Olympic mixed relay in biathlon.

Bjoerndalen broke the total medals record he previously shared with retired cross-country skiing great Bjoern Daehlie, and also matched the fellow Norwegian's mark of eight golds. Bjoerndalen won gold earlier at the Sochi Olympics in the men's sprint biathlon.

Daehlie won eight gold, four silver, and no bronze medals; Bjoerndalen's haul is now 8-4-1. The 40-year-old Bjoerndalen can win another medal in the last men's biathlon event in Sochi, the 4x7.5K relay on Saturday.

Bjoerndalen sets medals mark

• With Norway's win in the mixed team relay, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen took home his 13th Olympic medal, the most career medals in Winter Games history.
• 1. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, NOR, 13 medals, Biathlon
• 2. Bjorn Daehlie, NOR, 12 medals, Cross-country skiing
• 3. Stefania Belmondo, ITA, 10, Cross-country
• 4. Raisa Smetanina, USSR, 10, Cross-country

Norway's victory came one day after Bjoerndalen missed out on a medal chance in the 15K mass start event, when he was in fourth position when missing four targets in his final shooting.

In the mixed relay, Tora Berger faulted twice, but Tiril Eckhoff, Bjoerndalen and Emil Hegle Svendsen all shot cleanly for Norway. They finished in one hour, nine minutes and 17 seconds.

The Czech Republic were 32.6 seconds behind to win silver, and Italy came in 58.2 seconds behind to take bronze.

The mixed relay is new to the Olympic program but has been an established part of the World Cup circuit for many years and was first included in the annual biathlon world championships in 2005, with Norway winning the title for the past three years.

American swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, a mark he reached at the 2012 London Summer Games. He has 22 career Olympic medals, including 18 golds.

This article originally appeared on ESPN.com

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