Thomas Maloney Westgaard finished 35th in the men’s 10km (classic) + 10km (freestyle) skiathlon at the Winter Olympics on Sunday.
The event, which was held outside the town of Predazzo, involves competitors completing 10km using classic skis before transitioning to a free skating finish for the second half.
“That was a tough one,” said the 30-year-old three-time Olympian.
“Soft conditions and quite icy and tricky in the downhills and crusty corners. It was a really challenging course for sure. Just like it should be in the Olympics. I was a bit anxious on some of the downhill. I’m happy to have started the Olympics.
“My plan was to stick in the front as long as I could, but the pace was ridiculous. It was full out from the start and there was no time for rest. I felt like I got a blood taste after like 3K and the cramps were coming up halfway through the race. I put everything out there and I can’t really ask for more.”
Maloney Westgaard would usually favour the classic second of the race but he fared better in the latter half.
“I’m usually better in classic, but the pace was so high, I almost got stiff on it,” he said.
“I kind of looked forward to the change because I know that I’d kind of have fresher legs than the others at the exchange, usually. I had pretty good guys around me. It was like Mika Vermeulen from Austria who has been second in the World Cup and Gus Schumacher (USA) who has won the World Cup race. So there were many, many good skiers around me. The Olympics is really competitive.
“It has been quite challenging, challenging for me this season. I struggle a bit with overreaching. I had kind of no clue what kind of shape I came here to the Olympics, and I mean, I had had better races for sure, but, I’m really happy. I’m proud to represent Ireland here.”
Maloney Westgaard, who is based in Trondheim, was born in Norway but his mother Celia is from Dunmore in Galway. She was in attendance on Sunday to cheer on her son.
“I’m so grateful that she came here,” he said.
“I’m really impressed that she managed to come all the way from the remote island back in Norway by herself. Fair play to her coming out here. I saw her at the warm-up and it’s quite emotional.
“I mean, because my father, he skied a long-distance race here in 2012, which is a popular race where many Norwegians come to race. And sadly, he passed away in 2018. But she sent me a message earlier today. It was quite emotional being here in my father’s footsteps as well. And yeah, for sure, he’s out there with me today. That’s how I look on it.”
Sunday’s race was the least favoured of the three cross county events Maloney Westgaard will participate in at the Milan Cortina Games. He will also go in the 10km freestyle and the 50km classic.
