This has never happened at the Olympics before! His nerves gave way and he left the route
Atle Lie McGrath had everything to win the slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics. However, the Norwegian made a disastrous mistake, after which the Olympian simply lost his nerves.
In the context of the men’s slalom competition, the emotions ended for the fans of the Polish national team… after the first downhill. Unfortunately, as we reported in WPROST, Michał Jasiczek did not finish his performance. The Pole’s participation on the Olympic route lasted only 23 seconds. It must be admitted, however, that the conditions were very demanding, and more than half of those registered at the start of Winter Olympics 2026 did not finish the competition.
Winter Winter 2026: Amazing pictures at the Olympics. The leader got angry and left the route!
There is no doubt that the situation that happened to the Norwegian representative is on the lips of the entire Alpine world. Atle Lie McGrath was the leader at the halfway point of the slalom competition and it seemed that he would win the Olympic gold in Italy. However, this did not happen, because the Norwegian Olympian broke one of the poles during his second run.
McGrath thus withdrew from the fight for anything at Winter Olympics 2026. Aware of his costly mistake, the Norwegian became furious, unable to believe what had happened. First, he furiously threw away his poles, and then he left the route, going somewhere – deep into the high snow – finally lying down on the white powder and… cooling his emotions a bit.
The Swiss champion in slalom was Loic Meillard.
2026 Games in Italy. Where and when to watch the Poles’ starts?
The Polish national team during the opening games consists of 60 athletes. In the 21st century, there has never been a Polish woman or a Pole on the Olympic podium during the Winter Olympics. During the last winter games, Poland finished the competition with one medal. The bronze medal was won by ski jumper Dawid Kubacki in the competition on the normal hill.
It is already known that Kubacki’s result was beaten at the Winter Olympics 2026 by a debutant among Olympians – Kacper Tomasiak. The 19-year-old great talent won a silver medal in the normal hill competition and a bronze medal in the large hill competition in Predazzo.
Another Olympic runner-up, Vladimir Semirunni, who made his debut at the Winter Olympics, was also runner-up in the 10 km speed skating race.
In the history of the Olympic Games, the Polish national team has won a total of 26 medals – seven gold, nine silver and ten bronze, respectively. Interestingly, the first bronze medal for Poland was won by Franciszek Gąsienica-Groń (Nordic combined) almost exactly 70 years ago, during the Olympic Games in… Cortina d’Ampezzo. This year, history has come full circle in a beautiful Italian-Polish Olympic circle.
Broadcasts from Winter Olympics 2026 in Poland are provided by Telewizja Polska (TVP) and the Discovery group (Eurosport). The event will last until Sunday, February 22.
