Four years after walking away from Beijing without a medal, the 25-year-old Norwegian skier arrived at the games with hope and the weight of an unfinished Olympic story. And when he charged down the slope in Bormio for his first run, it really felt like Olympic gold was within reach. But in just a matter of seconds, everything slipped away.

On February 16, during the men’s slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Atle Lie McGrath delivered exactly what a favorite is supposed to deliver. In heavy snow and difficult visibility, he attacked the course and clocked 56.14 seconds in his first run, the fastest time among 96 competitors. He had a 0.59-second lead over Switzerland’s Loic Meillard in the second run.

But in the second run, one small mistake changed everything. McGrath straddled a gate. And as a rule, one ski slipped to the wrong side of the pole, which led him to automatic disqualification.

Right after realising he was out of contention, McGrath threw his ski poles over the course fencing in frustration. And then instead of heading to the finish area, he climbed over the barrier and walked toward the trees beside the slope. Heartbroken, he sat down in the snow.

For a few seconds, he lay back breathing heavily and staring upward as if trying to calm himself. Soon after, a member of the medical staff approached to check on him before he slowly made his way down the mountain.

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Sure, this race felt destined for glory, but it ended in heartbreak. For him, this was never just another Olympic medal; it was personal—a tribute to someone who passed away just days before his Games

Atle Lie McGrath was carrying loss into the biggest race of his life

Atle Lie McGrath was born in Vermont and moved to Norway at the age of two with his American father, Felix McGrath, and Norwegian mother, Selma Lie. Skiing runs through his blood. His father was an Olympic skier, too. From a young age, the sport was part of family life. And one person stood especially close to that journey.

His grandfather, Svein Lie, was one of his biggest supporters. McGrath often spoke about how much his grandfather meant to him. “Every time we went into the woods, you would drag me through the bushes to take a ‘shortcut’ you’d heard about. In the end, we always ended up being out longer than planned. For a long time, I didn’t understand why we took these detours until I got older…”

But just days before the Games began, his grandfather passed away at 85 on the same day as the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Still, McGrath chose to race. And he even wore a black armband during the slalom as a quiet tribute.

Even before his race, he shared, “I’ve just had some of the toughest days of my life,” McGrath said tearfully at a press conference on Sunday. “I miss my grandpa so much. He brought me here and he’s also the reason I’m driving tomorrow. He would have wanted it this way. I’ll give it my all for him, for Norway, and for Adrian (Sejersted).” That is what made the fall even harder.

And this was not an underdog story. Before Milan Cortina, he had already claimed five World Cup victories and stood on 21 World Cup podiums, mostly in slalom. He also won silver in slalom at the 2025 World Championships. He arrived in Italy leading the slalom standings. He had earned the label of favorite. Which is why watching it disappear in one mistake felt almost unreal.

But his teammates understood that pain. Bronze medalist Henrik Kristoffersen said moments like this do not define a career. “In the end, it’s not going to make or break Atle’s career,” Kristoffersen said. “He is a great skier. If he keeps going like he’s going, he will have great success for the future. This is just our sport. That’s how it goes sometimes. I’ve been in this exact same position, and done the same thing (skied out). And yes, it hurts. But it is what it is.”

Another skier, Timon Haugan, also spoke about how hard the previous days had been for McGrath. “What he’s gone through these last 10, 12 days, it’s been really tough,” Haugan said. “He’s been really sad. We need to really back him up today.” That is what made the moment so raw.