sports
February 16, 2026
'I just needed some time for myself': Norwegian skier hides in woods after slalom gold heartache
For more than a century of Winter Olympic sport, athletes have dealt with defeat in almost every possible way: tears, tantrums, breaking things, breaking down. On Monday afternoon in Bormio, the Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath processed his grief in a novel way after the men’s slalom gold medal had slipped away. First, he threw his ski poles as far as he could and then he hid in the woods.
TL;DR
- Atle Lie McGrath of Norway hid in the woods after a mistake in the men's slalom at the Winter Olympics cost him a gold medal.
- McGrath described the moment as the worst of his career, exacerbated by the recent death of his grandfather.
- Loïc Meillard won gold for Switzerland, Fabio Gstrein took silver for Austria, and Henrik Kristoffersen secured bronze for Norway.
- McGrath was leading after the first run, holding a significant advantage over his rivals.
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