19.02.2026 10:40
In the slalom event of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath narrowly missed the gold medal. Starting the final run with a significant advantage, McGrath lost his chance for a medal after making a mistake on one of the gates. Experiencing great disappointment after the race, the athlete crossed the barriers and headed into the wooded area, wanting to be alone for a while.
In the slalom event of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath lost the gold medal at the last moment. After the race, the 25-year-old athlete, who was deeply disappointed, walked past the barriers into the forest covered in snow and was out of sight for a while.
MADE A MISTAKE AT THE LAST GATE
Starting the final descent with a significant advantage, McGrath lost his chance for a medal when he made a mistake at one of the gates. Swiss skier Loic Meillard won the race, while the Norwegian athlete threw his ski poles over the safety nets at the edge of the track. He then crossed the barriers and headed into the forest to be alone and disappeared from view.
"I JUST WANTED TO TAKE TIME FOR MYSELF"
About two hours later, McGrath faced the press, stating, "I thought I would find some peace and quiet, but photographers and police found me in the forest as well. I just needed time for myself."
DECLARED HE WAS IN MOURNING
McGrath, who mentioned that he lost his grandfather on the day of the opening ceremony, said he competed in the races with a sense of mourning and wore a black band on his arm. The athlete, who was born in the USA and grew up in Norway, said, "I usually look at events from a broad perspective, but I lost someone I loved very much, and that made everything much harder."
Teammate Timon Haugan also stated that McGrath had been experiencing great sadness for the last 10-12 days and expressed that they were trying to be there for him. McGrath, however, expressed that he would leave his experiences to time, saying, "I spent some time in the forest. Now I will be with the people I love. It will take time to digest this, but there are people around me who love me."