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Blizzard conditions during the men’s alpine skiing slalom competition at the Milan 2026 Cortina Games caused chaos among participants, with a medal favorite losing his cool at the end of Monday’s races.
Of the 96 competitors in competition, 52 of them were unable to complete their first mountain runs due to snowy conditions. The skiers had trouble keeping their balance, let alone reaching each gate.
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath, competing in his second Olympic Games, was leading the field after a disastrous first race for many of his opponents.
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Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath arrives at the finish area of a men’s alpine skiing slalom race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
McGrath had a massive 59-second lead heading into the second run, which is fantastic for any slalom skier hoping to take home gold.
But, after running through a gate in her second race, McGrath ruined her chances of taking home any medal, let alone gold.
McGrath knew this and created as such, throwing his ski poles in frustration. Then, after leaving the field, he lay in the snow with his hands on his head, wondering what went wrong.
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In turn, Switzerland’s Loïc Meillard won the gold medal, followed by Fabio Gstrein, who took silver, and McGrath’s Norwegian teammate, Henrik Kristoffersen, won bronze.
“It’s amazing,” Meillard said after winning gold, according to the New York Post. “They have been long days, with a lot of expectations and with regard to what you want to achieve, a lot of pressure on yourself.”
Gstrein added: “The feeling is great, really nice and great,” after winning her silver medal.
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath speeds down the track during a men’s alpine skiing 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 race is just another example of how these Winter Games haven’t gone as planned for many of the top athletes competing.
On the United States side, snowboarder Chloe Kim and figure skater Ilia Malinin are just two examples of expected gold medal finishers who had defining moments in their decisive events.
Kim needed over 90 on her third attempt in the women’s halfpipe to make Olympic history with three consecutive gold medals after 17-year-old Gaon Choi of South Korea had a clean final run to edge out first place.
Kim fell after attempting a trick, leaving her with the silver medal.
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath arrives at the finish area of a men’s alpine skiing slalom race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
As for Malinin, he didn’t make the podium like Kim, falling twice during the men’s free skate. The 21-year-old, nicknamed “Quad God”, finished eighth in the event, surprising everyone in Milan.
But that’s the nature of the high-pressure moments the Olympics can bring to these athletes. Execution is key, and when things don’t go as expected, frustration can seep in.
In McGrath’s case, that frustration involved some pole throwing.
