By Philip O’Connor
ZHANGJIAKOU, China (Reuters) – Joergen Graabak powered out of the pack in Wednesday’s Nordic combined normal hill/10 km competition to deliver a medal that Norway was convinced would come from Jarl Magnus Riiber, only for the latter to be sidelined by a positive COVID test.
Second in the World Cup rankings, Riiber was considered a certainty to medal by Norwegian fans before he caught the coronavirus, leaving Graabak to pick up the slack by taking silver in a sprint finish with winner Vinzenz Geiger.
A double Olympic champion in 2014 and silver medallist in 2018, Graabak was happy to shoulder the burden.
“I think it’s really good for the team to see that we’re not only a Jarl Magnus Riiber team, so I think it’s good for everyone. And we really, really, really, really hope to have Jarl among us back in the large hill,” he told reporters.
“I really feel sorry for him that he isn’t able to compete here. He will be the great favourite, so that’s a pity, but he will get many more chances.”
Riiber is doing everything to stay in shape in case he can return to action.
“He’s a big role model in the way he deal with things. He’s been able to get a stationary bike into the room, gym equipment, and he’s just making the best of every day, so kudos to him for doing that,” Graabak said.
With Riiber still in isolation, Graabak said any medal celebrations would have to take place on FaceTime and though he hoped Riiber would be back for the team event on Feb. 17, he sounded a note of caution.
“It’s not just to be back in test negative, he also has to think about his health, so I hope he and also the team around him doesn’t push him to do something that is not good for him in the long run,” he said.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
