Winter Olympics 2022: 'He’s taken the wrong course!' – Jarl Magnus Riiber throws away gold with shocking error

Updated 15/02/2022 at 13:52 GMT

We have a new addition for the Winter Olympics blooper reel after Jarl Magnus Riiber headed for the finish despite only completing the first of four laps in the cross-country skiing finale. Riiber had already experienced a turbulent Games after testing positive for Covid-19 and being stuck in isolation. It did not cost Norway too much, however, as Joergen Graabak swept through for gold.

'He's missed!' - Shock as Riiber goes wrong way to throw away gold

Jarl Magnus Riiber said he feels like a "complete idiot" after he threw away an enormous lead in the men’s Nordic combined at Beijing 2022 when accidentally taking a wrong turn.

The Norwegian, who was unable to learn the course after being stuck in isolation with Covid, leaked 35 seconds as he tried to salvage his race in the individual large hill/10km cross-country – an error that almost certainly cost him a medal, probably gold.

After completing the first of four 2.5km circuits, Riiber headed down the finish chute on the outside rather than taking the inside path onto the second lap.

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“Oh now... Riiber has missed the durchgang [German for ‘passage’]. He was going down the finish chute instead of going out on the durchgang, so he’s taken the wrong course!” said David Goldstrom on Eurosport commentary.

Although the correct route was across a small barrier – an easy hop away but a potential disqualification – Riiber turned around and made his way back to the crossroads.

By the time he was back on track, his lead had been cut from 45 seconds to barely 10.

“That’s so uncharacteristic but also that might be the fact that he’s been stuck in the hotel, he hasn’t been able to train, his familiarity of the course isn’t so good,” continued Goldstrom.

“And now out of his left eye, he will court what is coming behind him.”

What will have caught his attention was a four-strong chase group, led by Japan’s Akito Watabe, who were eating up the snow behind him.

From that moment on, Riiber’s challenge faded. He eventually finished in eighth, 39.8s down on compatriot Joergen Graabak, who had roared through for gold despite starting 2:07 adrift after placing 12th in the ski jump.

The Nordic combined is a mash-up of ski jumping and cross-country skiing, with results from the jump determining the start times for the medal race.

Riiber had topped the ski jumping standings on the large hill, meaning he started alone, and will be left wondering what could have been as he blew the opportunity to upgrade his silver from PyeongChang 2018.

"I feel like a complete idiot. That mistake took 30 seconds. It destroyed a lot", he told Finnish broadcaster yle.

On his battle to recover from Covid, the 24-year-old said: "I was sore for two days. We do not know the long-term effects of the corona. I have to say, though, that I didn't feel healthy.

"I have to be realistic. There was a really small chance of a good result today. It is not ideal to be sore and isolated for two weeks."

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