Sweden's Hellner out of 50km freestyle race because of illness

Published Feb. 22, 2014 9:32 a.m. ET

foxsports

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia -- Three-time Olympic cross-country champion Marcus Hellner of Sweden will miss the concluding 50-kilometer freestyle race at the Sochi Games because of a sinus illness.

Hellner helped Sweden win the relay gold for the second straight Olympics last Sunday but has struggled with blocked sinuses this week, and the Swedish team said Saturday he's not well enough to compete in the grueling 50K race.

Sweden only entered three skiers in the race -- world champion Johan Olsson, Daniel Richardsson and Anders Soedergren -- as the rest of the team has already left Sochi.

Hellner also won the 30K skiathlon in Vancouver in 2010, and took silver in the event in Sochi.