Olympic star complains about "unbearable pain": The most unfavorable part of the body frozen during a race
Created: 02/22/2022, 05:51
By: Marius Epp
The finish line was like a salvation for Remi Lindholm.
© David McIntyre/imago
Conditions at the Olympic Games in China were sometimes inhospitable.
During the cross-country race it was so cold that one of the athletes froze the best part.
Zhangjiakou - Alexander Bolshunov crowned himself "King of cross-country skiers": The Russian won the freestyle race over almost 30 kilometers at the Olympics.
Actually, the supreme discipline of cross-country skiing is traditionally held over 50 kilometers, but due to the most adverse conditions, those responsible were forced to shorten the route - for the first time in the history of the Winter Games.
Temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees mixed with a relentless, icy wind that swept across the steppe landscape of Zhangjiakou.
"It was a 30s that felt like two 50s in a row," said German national cross-country coach Peter Schlickenrieder, describing the horrific conditions.
Olympia: cross-country skiing horror in freezing temperatures - fin freezes the penis
To brave the cold, most athletes taped their faces.
Most people probably didn't even try to keep their extremities warm. But the Finn Remi Lindholm (24) had the most painful experience: he worried about his best piece after crossing the finish line.
"You can imagine what part of my body was frozen when I finished," he lamented in an interview with the Finnish newspaper
Iltalethi
.
He immediately took care of the frozen body part.
"I put a heating pad to my balls.
As it warmed up, the pain was unbearable.”
Olympics: Severe conditions in China are struggling for athletes
A feeling that most of you should know from frozen hands or feet that gradually warm up.
Luckily, Lindholm didn't suffer any permanent damage - but hypothermia is no joke, especially in such a sensitive area of the body.
Lindholm's teammate Ristomatti Hakola, who wore special thermal underwear, did better.
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The weather was also extremely nasty in the women's long-distance race.
Like the men, the women also struggled mightily.
"Before the start it scared me that we had a race today," admitted Switzerland's Lydia Hiernickel.
Norway's Therese Johaug secured gold.
For the German athletes there was nothing to gain over the long distance.
But the gold sensation in the team sprint makes up for everything.
(epp)