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A snowstorm during the men’s alpine skiing slalom competition at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games led to chaos for competitors and a medal favorite lost his head at the end of Monday’s heats.
Out of the 96 competitors in the field, 52 of them were unable to complete their first run on the mountain due to the snow conditions. Skiers had trouble keeping their balance, let alone hitting each gate.
Norway’s Athlete Lie McGrath, competing in his second Olympic Games, led the field after the disastrous first race for many of his opponents.
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Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath arrives at the finish area for an alpine skiing men’s slalom race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
McGrath had a huge 59-second lead heading into the second race, which is fantastic for any slalom runner hoping to take home gold.
But after tripping a gate on his second run, McGrath ruined his chances of taking home any medal, let alone gold.
McGrath knew this and created as such, launching his ski poles out of frustration. Then, after he was headed off the field, he laid down in the snow with his hands on his head and wondered what went wrong.
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In turn, Switzerland’s Loïc Meillard won the gold medal, followed by Fabio Gstrein taking silver and McGrath’s Norwegian teammate Henrik Kristoffersen winning bronze.
“It’s amazing,” Meillard said after winning gold, according to the New York Post. “It’s been long days, a lot of expectations and about what you want to achieve, a lot of pressure on yourself.”
Gstrein added: “The feeling is great, really nice and cool,” after winning his silver medal.
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath rushes down the track during an alpine skiing men’s slalom race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
McGrath’s elimination despite being the gold medal favorite heading into the second round is just another example of how these Winter Games have not gone to plan for many of the top athletes competing.
On the U.S. side, snowboarder Chloe Kim and figure skater Ilia Malinin are just two examples of expected gold medal decisions that had wipeout moments in their decisive events.
Kim needed more than 90 on her third attempt in the women’s halfpipe to make Olympic history with three straight gold medals after 17-year-old Gaon Choi of South Korea had a clean final run to overtake first place.
Kim fell after attempting a trick, leaving her with the silver medal.
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath arrives at the finish area for an alpine skiing men’s slalom race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
As for Malinin, he was not on the podium like Kim as he fell twice during the men’s freestyle. The 21-year-old, nicknamed “Quad God”, finished eighth in the event, shocking everyone in Milan.
But that’s the nature of the high-pressure moments the Olympics can produce in these athletes. Execution is key, and when things don’t go as hoped, frustration can seep out.
In McGrath’s case, that frustration involved some pole throwing.
