Poland's Kowalczyk wins women's 30K cross-country

Published Feb. 27, 2010 4:27 p.m. ET

foxsports

Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland has denied Marit Bjoergen a fourth gold medal of the Olympics, beating the Norwegian in a frantic final sprint to win the 30-kilometer classical cross-country race.

Kowalczyk and Bjoergen were side by side down the final straightaway Saturday before the Norwegian faltered at the end.

Kowalczyk finished in 1 hour, 30 minutes, 33.7 seconds for her first Olympic gold. Bjoergen was 0.3 seconds back to take the silver. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen of Finland won the bronze, 1 minute, 5 seconds back.