Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath suffered a devastating crash during the Winter Olympics men's slalom in Italy, throwing away what appeared to be a certain gold medal.
The 25-year-old, who was born in America but competes for Norway, had been in the lead when he fell on his final run.
His reaction was immediate and explosive. McGrath hurled his poles away, removed his skis, and marched directly into the woodland at the edge of the course.
The distraught athlete then lay down alone in the snow for several minutes as he attempted to regain his composure.
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He was eventually accompanied back to the finish area by officials.
McGrath had been competing while carrying immense personal grief.
His grandfather passed away on the same day as the opening ceremony, and the skier wore an armband in tribute during Monday's race.
Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath suffered a devastating crash during the Winter Olympics men's slalom in Italy, throwing away what appeared to be a certain gold medal
|REUTERS
The emotional weight of his loss may help explain the intensity of his reaction following the crash.
According to Norwegian media reports, McGrath's fury was sparked by a Swiss coach who celebrated wildly when he fell.
The coach in question works with Loic Meillard, who went on to claim the gold medal.
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Atle Lie McGrath cut a dejected figure on the course after missing out on gold
|REUTERS
At the moment McGrath crashed, Meillard had been sitting 0.59 seconds behind him in the standings. Norway had been hoping for their first slalom gold in 28 years.
McGrath's teammate Timon Haugan spoke to Norwegian broadcaster NRK about the heartbreaking moment.
"You feel empty inside and it's hard to describe. It hurts so much. A terrible feeling. I'm very sorry for Atle," he said.
Norwegian television described the Swiss coach's celebration as "horrible".
Former skiing champion and pundit Kjetil Andre Aamodt offered his assessment of the incident.
"It was a bit unsportsmanlike. I wouldn't have taken it from the Swiss coach. I understand he's happy, but they've already won three Olympic gold medals," he said.
Atle Lie McGrath competed at the Winter Olympics just days after the death of his grandfather
|REUTERS
Aamodt added: "It was special, but it's probably intuitive then and there. I don't think he meant anything bad by it."
Switzerland's Meillard secured the gold with a combined time of one minute and 53.61 seconds across his two runs.
Austria's Fabio Gstrein claimed silver, finishing just 0.35 seconds behind the winner.
Henrik Kristoffersen salvaged some consolation for Norway by taking the bronze medal.
Conditions on the mountain proved exceptionally difficult throughout the day. Heavy snowfall and fog hampered visibility during the morning session, though sunshine emerged for the afternoon runs.
The treacherous course took its toll on the field of 96 competitors. Nearly half failed to complete their runs, with 49 skiers unable to finish. A further two were disqualified, while one athlete did not start at all.