BORMIO, Italy, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The crowd held its breath as the winner of Monday’s first slalom run, Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath, went through the start gates to defend his spot.
The ensuing slip-up and failure to finish shocked spectators - but also enabled teammate Henrik Kristoffersen to snatch bronze, his third Olympic medal.
Aware that McGrath was suffering too from the death of his grandfather at the start of the Olympics, Kristoffersen said after the race that he could relate to the awful feeling of missing out on a medal after being in the lead.
“I did the same eight years ago. I was leading after the first run, I skied out in the second run,” Kristoffersen said of his experience at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang where he too did not finish.
"In the end, it's not going to make or break his career. He is a great skier. If he keeps going like he's going, he will have great success for the future.”
An upset McGrath walked off Bormio’s piste on his ski boots towards the woods after his mistake in the upper part of the second slalom course.
Kristoffersen said everyone should be allowed to express themselves: “What are sports without emotions?”
BROTHERLY CURSE BROKEN
At 31, this is Kristoffersen’s fourth Winter Games but his first time celebrating with his two-year-old boy, who joined him for some interviews.
It also happens to be the first time that his brother Magnus was present at a race where Kristoffersen podiumed.
“I have 101 podiums in World Cups and my brother has never been to one of them,” Kristoffersen said of what was starting to seem like a brotherly curse, given Magnus has watched many of his other races, including Schladming’s World Cup night slalom.
“I've won Schladming five times and he's been there four or five times, and I have never been on the podium when he was there,” he said.
“I was a little worried after Saturday, right? Like maybe you have to go home now because otherwise I won't (podium),” he joked about making seventh place in Saturday’s giant slalom.
But now that the spell seems broken, the Norwegian goes home with his bronze medal, adding to the silver in giant slalom from 2018 and bronze in slalom from 2014.
He is sure that new success awaits McGrath too. "I know it's hard now and it's going to be hard for him probably for a little while, but it won't make or break his career."
(Reporting by Marleen Kaesebier in Bormio; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
