CROSS COUNTRY: Australians Callum Watson and Phil Bellingham have finished the grueling 15km Cross Country Classic in 75th and 76th place respectively out of a field of 92.

In what was another sunny day on the Sochi slopes, Watson crossed the line in 45:46.5- just over seven minutes behind Switzerland’s Dario Cologna with Bellingham a further 30 seconds back.

The warm weather continued to make what is already one of the world’s toughest courses even more difficult with athletes having to struggle through the slushy snow.

“Today’s conditions were again super tough,” Watson said.

“Waxing and ski choice was made more difficult and unfortunately today it didn’t work out for me. I felt super strong on the uphills and I was able to catch people, but I was just going backward in the downhills.

“I gave it everything I had and that was all I could do.”

Having made his Olympic debut in the Individual Sprint earlier in the week, Watson’s second time off the Olympic start line was still as special as the first.

“I can definitely say I was still feeling the buzz and competing in each event is definitely something I get excited for.

“I never really expected the way the crowd here would get behind Australia so it is great to here them cheer for us when we enter the stadium.”

With the Sprint more of Bellingham’s forte, the 22-year-old was satisfied with how he finished in his second event at the 2014 Games.

“I went pretty good out there in tough conditions so I was happy with the way I went.

“I probably went out a bit hard. I slowed up a bit after the first two (of three) laps.

“I found it really hard to get grip on the uphills and I was a bit slow on the way down, but I was able to keep my technique together to make it all work.” 

The pair will now look forward to the Team Sprint event in which both athletes will complete three laps of the Laura Cross Country and Biathlon course tagging each other in after each lap. 

“It is always one of the more exciting events to be in so I’m super pumped for that still,” said Watson.

“Phil and I have done really well in Team Sprints before so I pretty amped to try and get a result that would surprise a few people.”

Switzerland's Cologna claimed his second gold medal of the 2014 Sochi Games after clocking a time of 38:29.7, with Swedish duo Johan Olsson and Daniel Richardsson winning the Silver and Bronze medals.

The Swiss gun also won the Skiathlon event in what has been an astounding compact from injury that saw him sidelined until last month.

Next up for Cross Country is the Women’s and Men’s relays over the next two days before Watson and Bellingham line up in the Team Sprint on Wednesday.