During the first race, he saw his childhood friend Lukas Pinheiro Broten fall off the track, and then in the second he survived a sporting tragedy, everything turned into a real drama...
Atle Leigh McGrath learned the painful truth about the cost of just one mistake at the Winter Olympics.
The brilliant Norwegian was the best after the first slalom race at the Games in Milan and Cortina, only to fall off the track at the start in the second - his dream of an Olympic medal was shattered in the Alps.
A broken McGrath could not hide his great disappointment - next to the Swiss coaches who were celebrating Loic Mayor's gold, he threw the poles far outside the enclosure, and then, in his anger, he just wanted to disappear somewhere, so he headed towards the forest next to the track.
He stopped by the new fence and sat down in the snow, and according to Italian media, he was breathing so hard that a doctor had to help him.
"You have to understand his outburst. It's allowed, it's sport. What is sport without emotions," said Henrik Kristoffersen, bronze medalist from the competition held in Bormio and McGrath's teammate.
Kristoffersen knows exactly what Atle Lie went through - he survived the same scenario eight years ago in Pyeongchang.
"That's how it is sometimes. I was in the exact same situation and made the same mistake. And yes, it hurts. But that's how it is," Kristofersen added.
The great champion knows that McGrath will come back even stronger...
"In the end - it's just another ski race. And in the end, it won't ruin Atle's career. He's a great skier. If he continues like this, he'll have great success in the future," Krstofersen stressed.
Timon Haugan also sent his support to his teammate, who ultimately came within a step of a medal in fourth place.
"It's just heartbreaking. Everything is working perfectly. He did a very good first race, put himself in a position to win Olympic gold. He did everything right, and it all came crashing down in 15 seconds," Haugan said.
McGrath lost his grandfather on the day of the opening ceremony of the Games, and wore a black tuxedo in his honor.
"What he went through in the last ten days was really difficult. He was really sad. Just when he was starting to feel better, he went through it. Now it's important that he feels our support," Haugan added.
He also received words of support from the new Olympic champion.
"I've been in his shoes before - slalom is so difficult, and the beauty of it is that it's wonderful when everything works out. I definitely felt sorry for him, but this is all part of the game," said Loik Mejar.
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