Eliot Grondin Misses Gold by Heart-Stopping Photo Finish
The margins in elite sport can be thinner than a heartbeat and no one knows that better than Canadian snowboarder Éliot Grondin. On the slopes of Livigno Snow Park, Grondin came agonizingly close to claiming his second Olympic gold, only to be edged out by Austria’s Alessandro Hämmerle by three one-hundredths of a second. This is déjà vu for the 24-year-old from Sainte-Marie, Quebec, who lost by just two one-hundredths in Beijing four years ago.
Grondin entered the 2026 Winter Games as reigning world champion and a favorite to deliver Canada’s first gold medal of these Games. His performances in the knockout rounds were nothing short of dominant, flying out of the gate with explosive starts, navigating technical berms and jumps with precision and repeatedly demonstrating the speed that has become his trademark. Yet the final was a masterclass in tension, with four of the world’s fastest riders — Grondin, Hämmerle, Austria’s Jakob Dusek and France’s Aidan Chollet — pushing each other to the limit over a 1,110-meter course.
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The race unfolded in a blur of strategy and speed. Grondin allowed Chollet to lead early, conserving energy and positioning for the crucial final stretch. At the midpoint, he briefly took the lead but a split-second shift allowed Hämmerle to edge ahead. Approaching the finish, Grondin leaned low, desperately trying to tip the scales in his favor, but Hämmerle crossed first, arms raised, leaving Grondin with silver and Dusek claiming bronze.
The significance of this race extends beyond a single medal. It highlights the razor-thin margins that define snowboard cross and underscores the level of mental and physical precision required to succeed. For Canada, Grondin’s silver adds to an already impressive tally in this discipline, giving the nation eight Olympic snowboard cross medals. For Grondin personally, it is a testament to resilience, skill and the ongoing pursuit of perfection. Despite narrowly missing gold, he described the week as rewarding, emphasizing that he gave everything he could on a course that tested even the most seasoned competitors.
These moments remind us why the Winter Olympics captivate audiences worldwide: the thrill of competition, the heartbreak of near misses and the extraordinary talent on display. Grondin’s performance, neck-and-neck down to the last few meters, was a reminder that in sport, every fraction of a second counts.
Stay with us as we continue to follow Canada’s athletes and the unfolding drama at the Milan Cortina Games. Every race, every finish line tells a story — and we’ll bring you every breathtaking moment as it happens.
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