Norwegian cross-country skier Astrid Slind's participation in the 50-kilometer mass start event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics ended prematurely, lasting only about half an hour. Slind was one of the favorites for the race but decided to withdraw after realizing that neither her skis nor her body were functioning as she had hoped. She expressed her frustration, stating, "It’s not fun when my life’s goal was shattered like this," according to VG.

Many skiing enthusiasts questioned why Slind did not attempt to change her skis before withdrawing, and she admitted that she couldn’t fully justify her decision. She described the situation as "a bit strange," indicating that she felt she had no chances left since she was far behind the leaders and her physical condition was not optimal. Slind believed that finishing the race would not have yielded any real benefit at that point.

Despite the disappointment in the long-distance event, Slind secured a gold medal in the women’s relay at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, marking a significant achievement. However, she noted that her personal tally of major competition medals includes only one bronze from a previous 15-kilometer race, underscoring the importance of her performances at this event in shaping her career and aspirations in cross-country skiing.