Olympic skier shares heartfelt message after slalom meltdown

A Norwegian skier suffered disappointment in the recent men’s slalom event at the Milano Cortina Olympics, resulting in an emotional meltdown.

Team Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath held a comfortable lead in Monday’s event, only to suffer a costly mistake during his second run. Loic Meillard of Switzerland ultimately finished in first place, with McGrath not finishing his second run.

Fabio Gstrein of Austria won silver, and Henrik Kristofferson of Norway claimed bronze. McGrath’s actions after not completing his second run drew attention at the event.

The 25-year-old skier threw his poles over the safety net at the Stelvio course before climbing the fencing located on the course’s other side. He then went near the woods area to lie on his back, later admitting he was trying to get away from everyone after the disappointing moment.

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While he eventually went to the finish area, McGrath left without speaking to anyone and didn’t meet with the media until two hours later at a hotel in Bornio. He’s also since shared an emotional update about his situation, and several high-profile Team USA skiers have reacted.

“Dear Fafao,” he wrote in an Instagram post early on Tuesday. “I gave it everything. Chasing the biggest dream of them all. I tried to pick up the broken pieces of my heart this past week, just for it to break all over again.”

“Take care of the people you love, you never know how long you have them❤️,” he completed his message with.

McGrath included a photo of him walking away in the snow at the Olympics. A second, older photo shows him as a boy with his grandfather, who died on the day of the opening ceremony. McGrath wore an armband in his honor at the Olympics.

Among those reacting to his heartfelt Instagram message were Team USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn, each of whom suffered their own disappointment at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.

Shiffrin failed to medal in her first two events despite being considered a favorite among American skiers. Vonn suffered a devastating crash just nine days after she’d ruptured her ACL, and was airlifted from the slope, requiring surgeries for her leg and a lengthy recovery.

“He is proud of you no matter what ❤️,” wrote Vonn, while Shiffrin shared a heart emoji to show support.

According to the Norwegian skier, he will now look to the love, comfort, and support of those around him after his Olympic disappointment.

“I spent my time in the woods,” McGrath said following Monday’s event, adding, “So now I’m going to spend time with the people I love and that’s all I need.

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