The unluckiest athlete at the Winter Olympics? » He missed 3 gold medals at the limit: “Painful”

Wiklund competed in the 1,500, 3,000, and 5,000-meter events, earning the silver medal in the first two and the bronze medal in the latter event.

Ragne Wiklund, the unluckiest athlete at the Winter Olympics

On Friday, the Norwegian finished second in the skating mile, behind Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong. The difference was minimal: six hundredths in favor of the Dutch woman. Wiklund led to the limit on the last lap, but missed a few shots just before the finish line. Meanwhile, Rijpma-de Jong fought hard for the gold.

“This exceeded all my expectations. I really wouldn't have believed it. It was more painful to lose the gold at 5000 meters than today,” said the athlete at the end of the event.

Small margins “bury” Ragne Wiklund

It certainly wasn't the first time Wiklund missed out on an Olympic title by a narrow margin. At 5000 meters, she took bronze, +0.17 behind winner Francesca Lollobrigida. The Dutch Merel Conijn slipped in between them. The difference between the latter and Wiklund was seven hundredths in favor of Conijn.

At 3000 meters, the first Olympic distance, Wiklund has already won silver. Then, the difference to the champion Lollobrigida was a little bigger: about two and a half seconds. But still, if Wiklund had been +2.49 seconds faster in the 9500 meters of skating, it could have been three gold medals.

“She doesn't have luck 100% on her side,” said NRK commentator Hans Solbakken. “This is a real blow for her,” added former figure skater and current analyst Even Wetten.

“It's incredible, if you add up like that,” remarked Hidde van Warmerdam on the Clubhuis Milaan podcast. “Every time he misses the limit,” was Thijs Zonneveld's observation.

However, Wiklund is enjoying the successful performances: “It's really fantastic to come home with 3 medals.”