After a painful setback at the 2026 Winter Olympics, American star Atle Lie McGrath saw a near-certain gold slip away in seconds, going from first place to a sudden DNF after a single mistake. But he did not let that moment define him. He returned to the World Cup circuit and stayed steady through the season. And at the finals in Norway, March 25, he won the Slalom Crystal Globe for the 2025-26 season. Yet even after reaching, he couldn’t hold back his tears.

In his first interview after the race, McGrath described what he was feeling. “I’m just so relieved,” he said, pausing as he fought back tears. “The past months after the Olympics have been some of the toughest… but also some of the most rewarding I’ve had in my life,” he added. Then his thoughts shifted to something more personal. “I really miss my grandfather today”… and suddenly, the win felt like something more.

His grandfather, Svein Lie, had passed away at 83 after battling dementia, on the night of the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Still, McGrath kept competing, carrying that loss through every race. “I wish he was here with me… but I know he’s watching,” he said, his eyes filled with emotion. He added, “There are too many people to thank for actually getting me here.” Even with that pain behind him the biggest moment of the season was still hanging by a thread

The race in Hafjell, Norway, had come down to small margins. McGrath entered the final leading the standings, but the title was still open, with Lucas Pinheiro Braathen close behind. But then Braathen straddled early in his run and did not finish. And this led to McGrath no longer needing to win. He just needed to stay composed, and he did and finished 8th.

That was enough to secure the Crystal Globe, hence ending the season with 584 points, ahead of Clément Noel on 520 and Braathen on 511. But the story didn’t end with the result. Standing there with the biggest achievement of his career, McGrath tried to put it into words. “It shows that even when you go through your toughest period in life… you can still come out the other end,” he said. “And see the smile. See the sun.”

The victory was about healing and finding hope again after seeing a race that once felt so close slip away.

Despite the circumstances, Atle Lie McGrath rose stronger than ever

Looking back at the Olympics in Bormio,  Atle Lie McGrath was on fire. He was the fastest in the first run of the men’s slalom, finishing 0.6 seconds ahead of his competitors. Gold felt almost certain. But in the second run a small mistake as he straddled a gate ended his race. In an instant, his Olympic dream turned into a DNF, and his chance at gold was gone.

“I’m normally a guy that’s very good when it comes to perspective on things,” McGrath said afterward. “And if I don’t ski well in a race, I can at least tell 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.”

His teammate Timon Haugan noticed the weight on McGrath. “What he’s gone through the past 10, 12 days has been really tough,” Haugan said. He’s been really sad. He started to do better, and today he’s going through … we need to really back him up today.” Despite heartbreak, McGrath pushed forward.

That focus paid off at the World Cup Finals, but even his rival there, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, gave him a hug and said, “You wouldn’t have felt this if you hadn’t gone through tough times. The tough times are what brought you here.”

McGrath reflected on the moment. “You give, and you take in this sport. That is what makes it beautiful,” he said. After losing at the Olympics, losing his grandfather, and navigating a tough season, this victory meant more than any medal.