BORMIO, Italy — Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath, the World Cup slalom leader, experienced a dramatic unraveling during the men’s slalom at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Monday, February 16, 2026, losing his commanding first-run lead and subsequently losing control of his emotions. McGrath, who had set the fastest time in the opening run, straddled a gate in his second attempt, effectively ending his chances for a gold medal.
The 25-year-old McGrath’s initial run of 56.14 seconds at Stelvio had placed him 0.59 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Loïc Meillard, and significantly ahead of the rest of the field. Twenty racers failed to finish the first run, highlighting the challenging course conditions. McGrath had built his lead in the lower sections of the course, demonstrating superior speed and control.
Following his disqualification in the second run, McGrath threw his ski poles over the safety netting. He then climbed the fencing and walked into the wooded area adjacent to the course, seeking solitude. “I thought that I would get some peace and quiet, which I didn’t,” McGrath later explained, as reported by the Associated Press, noting that photographers and police eventually located him.
The incident occurred on the final day of men’s alpine skiing at the Milan Cortina Games. Loïc Meillard ultimately won the gold medal. McGrath’s teammate, Timon Haugan, finished fourth. Haugan attributed McGrath’s emotional state to a recent personal loss, stating that McGrath’s grandfather had died on the day of the opening ceremony. Haugan described the past ten to twelve days as “really tough” for McGrath.
McGrath, who was born in Vermont but represents Norway, comes from a skiing family; his father, Felix McGrath, competed for the U.S. Ski team at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Despite his normally composed demeanor, McGrath acknowledged struggling to maintain perspective in the wake of his grandfather’s death and the Olympic disappointment. “I’m normally a guy that’s very good when it comes to perspective on things,” he said. “And if I don’t ski well in a race, I can at least share myself that I’m healthy and my family’s healthy and the people I love are here. So that’s nice, but that’s not been the case. I’ve lost someone I love so much and that makes it really hard.”
More than two hours after the incident, McGrath met with the media at a hotel in Bormio, offering a brief statement about his emotional response. The Norwegian Ski Federation has not yet issued a formal response to the incident.
