23-year-old British medal hopeful Andrew Musgrave failed to reach the finals of the cross country sprint after finishing fourth in the quarter finals. The other two Team GB cross country skiers, Andrew Young and Callum Smith, finished 42nd and 62nd respectively.
Andrew Musgrave has made history in becoming the first British cross country skier to reach the quarter finals, after finishing 27th in the prologue. Even at this stage Andrew seemed off the pace, crossing the line 12 seconds behind the leader.
During the quarter final Andrew fought for an early lead, trying to dominate the race on a course that should have suited his style. However his pace, much like the snow, seemed to melt away on a long incline.
On a good day Andrew has shown he is capable of beating anyone in the world. After the race he told the BBC “It definitely wasn’t nerves, I just didn’t have a good day today.” Later on he was a little harsher on himself when he turned to Twitter and said “Sometimes you ski fast, sometimes you ski like a tranquilised badger.” Possibly suggesting consistency is what he’ll be working on over the next four years.
Norwegian skier, Ola Vigen Hatterstad, whom Andrew recently pipped to the finish line in a surprise win at Norway’s national championships, took gold. Sweden’s Teodor Peterson finished in silver position, and after the other four finalists all collided on the last corner, Emil Joensson, also from Sweden, was first to regroup and stumble over the finish line for the bronze.
In the women’s cross country sprint Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla claimed gold, which is Norway’s 100th Olympic medal in cross country. In a photo finish Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg, also from Norway, got the silver medal, and Vesna Fabjan from Slovenia took the Bronze.
Andrew’s sister, Posy Musgrave finished 42nd, which wasn’t enough to see her go through to the quarter finals: “Conditions made I tough, it has been quite warm, so it is a little slushy in places and you are working through really deep snow in places.”
