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By the time Jesse Diggins began his post-race interview, he had lost track of the trophy. She cradled a crystal globe on the World Cup podium shortly after clinching the overall victory on Sunday and handed it over for her safekeeping.
Diggins wasn’t worried about the hardware. While the Afton native appreciated the Globes and the history that goes with them, that wasn’t her most prized prize on the final day of her season. After ending the schedule with her win in Falun, Sweden, Diggins said her real reward was getting through her most difficult period in her World Cup career.
Last fall, Diggins worried that a relapse of her eating disorder would disrupt her racing schedule. She responded by having her best season ever at the top level of cross-country skiing. Diggins scored a career-high 2,746 points, holding off Sweden’s Lynn Svarn for the overall title and becoming the first American to capture her World Cup overall title twice.
Diggins’ victory in Sunday’s 20km mass start freestyle gave her a 175-point lead over Svern, who had come within 41 points two days earlier. Diggins also took the second distance crown, finishing 224 points ahead of Germany’s Victoria Karl.
“My only goal was to enjoy it to the fullest. [Sunday]” Diggins told reporters in Falun.
“I’m really proud of the way this season ended, but more than that, I’m proud of the team that was there for me. It’s been a tough year, and that’s why it’s so great that we got through it together. It’s special.”
Diggins won his first overall title in 2021, joining 1982 champion Bill Koch as the only Americans to earn that honor. She led the standings throughout this season and made her history in the process.
Her six wins and 12 podiums in individual events set a U.S. single-season record. Diggins won his second Tour de Ski title in January and now has 21 World Cup wins and 60 top-three finishes.
In September, Diggins announced that her eating disorder had relapsed after 12 years of recovery. She went public with the news in hopes of helping people suffering from mental health issues, but it has put her in an uncomfortable spotlight at times, she admitted on Sunday.
“I’ve felt a lot of pressure to show that I’m okay,” she said. “I put pressure on myself to keep working hard to be okay. Sometimes when your brain gets confused and you feel like the whole world is watching you figure it out, it’s not easy. No, I just do my best every day.” ”
She held a 75-point lead over Swarn heading into Sunday’s final. Diggins kept her mood light by applying gold glitter to her own cheeks as well as the cheeks of several contestants.
Armed with speedy skis, she beat Norway’s Heidi Wen by 0.9 seconds and raced to the finish line in 51 minutes, 53 seconds. Svern never attempted and she finished 26th.
After the race, Diggins led a gathering of Americans to congratulate his teammates for lifting him up throughout the season. She was grateful to be healthy enough to compete in her Lopetto Cup last month at Theodore Worth Park, which she called the highlight of her own career. She said the two crystal globes were “really cool” but felt like an added bonus.
“I couldn’t have done this alone. Many people helped me through difficult times,” Diggins said. I think that’s why it was so special that we were able to make it through the season. That was a real victory. ”
The Star Tribune did not send the author of this article to the event. This is written using broadcasts, interviews, and other materials.
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