– I really don’t grasp. I was trying to maneuver around the turn and my skis got stuck. I pushed forward, and then I just lost control, honestly,” said a visibly shaken Endre Lykken.
The Norwegian skier crashed just before the finish line in the cross-country sprint, failing to advance to the semifinals. The Paralympics represent a major milestone for athletes, and a fall so close to the finish can be particularly devastating.
“This was Endre’s best opportunity,” said NRK’s expert Magnus Evenby. “It’s a real shame.”
Lykken threw his poles away as he crossed the finish line.
Lykken is competing in his first Paralympic Games.
“I’ll just have to learn from it, but it’s really tough right now,” Lykken said.
The cross-country skier was emotional, pausing frequently as he spoke with NRK.
“What’s it like to make your Paralympic debut like this?”
“No… I’m just hoping to receive the falls out of the way quickly. So yeah, I’ll just have to learn from it, but it’s really tough right now.”
Chasing His First Paralympic Gold
Four Norwegians advanced to the next round: Indira Liseth, Vilde Nilsen, Kjartan Haugen, and Thomas Oxaal.
Nilsen, who is still seeking her first Paralympic gold, was defeated by rival Natalie Wilkie in the qualification round.
“It’s interesting, I believe. We’re used to seeing Vilde win classic prologues,” said Evenby.
Nilsen finished just 0.27 seconds behind the Canadian at the finish.
“Maybe it was a calculated risk?” Evenby added.
Nilsen has two sprint silver medals from the Games in Beijing in 2022 and Pyeongchang in 2018. In Beijing, Wilkie took gold in the sprint.
“She has an incredible sprint record. So the opportunities are very good,” Evenby said of Nilsen.
Nilsen previously won three World Championship golds in the distance, most recently in Trondheim in 2025, when she edged out the same Canadian competitor.
Four Norwegians Advance
Indira Liseth finished 12th in the sitting class in the prologue.
“I’m very happy, I was really pleased. I was a little doubtful, but it worked out,” Liseth said after qualifying.
How does the course look?
“It’s quite challenging, it’s a bit icy. Not ideal for me, so I’m very glad I made it to the semifinals, because then I can demonstrate my potential,” she added.
VIDARE: Indira Liseth tok seg vidare i kvalifiseringa.
Foto: Jorunn Hatling / NRK
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