Jessie Diggins Will Carry U.S. Flag At Olympics Closing Ceremony

After becoming the United States' first cross-country skier to win gold at the Olympics, Afton's Jessie Diggins will carry the American flag at the Olympic closing ceremony in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Before Wednesday, no American woman had medaled in cross-country skiing at the Olympics, and Bill Koch was the only American to have ever medaled in the sport (he won bronze back in 1976).

In the team sprint, two teammates "pass the relay" to each other three times over the course of 15 kilometers. In the final lap of the women's team sprint Wednesday, Minnesota native Jessie Diggins, 26, passed Norway's Marit Bjoergen (the winningest Winter Olympian of all time with 14 medals) and darted narrowly ahead of Sweden's Stina Nilsson just before crossing the finish line.

The Olympic Games run for 18 days and conclude with the closing ceremony on Feb. 25 at 5:00 a.m. central.

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Photo: Gold medalists Kikkan Randall and Jessica Diggins of the United States celebrate during the medal ceremony for Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' Team Sprint Free on day 13 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Medal Plaza on February 22, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)