Finland’s medal bid in the women’s team sprint at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics ended in the final descent when Jasmin Kähärä fell metres before the finish line.
Kähärä went down in the last bend after the concluding downhill section of the anchor leg. She rose and crossed the line in ninth place. Sweden won gold in 20:29.99, ahead of Switzerland and Germany. Finland finished 43.38 seconds behind.
Kähärä told Yle after the race that the fall came as exhaustion took hold
“There was so much lactate in my legs. I don’t really remember it. The lights went out and I couldn’t control my body,” she said. She added that she had no physical injury from the crash.
She lay on the snow for a prolonged period in the finish area. Her team-mate Jasmi Joensuu knelt beside her and spoke to her before medical staff arrived. Reporters at the venue said Kähärä leaned against the barrier afterwards and appeared distressed.
Finland had remained in contention deep into the final leg. Joensuu delivered Kähärä into the last exchange in second place, a few seconds behind Sweden. At that stage six teams remained within reach of the podium.
Joensuu attacked on the penultimate climb of her leg and created a gap of about three seconds to the chasing group. “We set out as challengers. We knew we could produce a strong result and we skied bravely,” she said, according to event organisers’ coverage. “Elite sport is sometimes cruel.”
Kähärä began the anchor leg in the medal fight but soon faced pressure from Switzerland’s Nadine Fähndrich and athletes from Norway, Germany and the United States. On the final climb she lost ground as the pace increased. By the top of the hill Switzerland and Germany had edged ahead, with Norway close behind.
The fall occurred after that climb, on the final downhill before the home straight. Television images showed Kähärä lose balance without contact from another skier. Earlier reports from the mixed zone suggested she might have held her shoulder, but she later told Yle she had not suffered injury.
The race unfolded at high speed from the opening leg. The United States’ Jessie Diggins set the tempo early, with Sweden’s Jonna Sundling matching her stride. Joensuu kept Finland in touch and handed over within seconds of the lead group.
Kähärä moved Finland to the front during her first leg, using a strong descent to secure first place at the second exchange. Sweden later built a small gap through Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist, while the battle for silver and bronze remained tight.
Finland qualified second fastest in the morning heats. In the final the field stayed compact through the first four legs, with fewer than five seconds separating the top nine teams at halfway.
The women’s team sprint formed part of a full cross-country skiing programme on Wednesday. Finland’s men later placed 11th in their final.
HT