Danish Skater Viktor Hald Thorup Withdraws from 10,000 Meter Race at Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics

Danish speed skater Viktor Hald Thorup withdrew from the 10,000 meter race at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after vomiting during his warm-up and struggling throughout the event.

Eurosport Netherlands reports on Thorup’s difficult race and his decision to withdraw.

During the warm-up for the 10,000 meter event, Thorup experienced vomiting that left him feeling unwell. Despite this, he started the race but faced increasing physical issues, including muscle cramping and impaired spatial awareness. After approximately six kilometers, the 31-year-old athlete made the decision to withdraw from the competition.

Thorup described feeling dizzy during warm-up and said the vomiting affected his performance. “My leg muscle cramped, my sense of direction was off. It was quite ruined,” he said. He noted that although his stomach was empty when the race began, his condition prevented him from skating effectively.

The Danish skater also indicated that he was informed only the day before that he would compete in the 10,000 meters. Still, Thorup emphasized that this late notice was not an excuse for his performance, as he had been preparing for the possibility of participation for months.

Thorup expressed pride in qualifying for the event, which only allows twelve competitors, but acknowledged that his race did not go as he had hoped. Other skaters, such as Jorrit Bergsma, succeeded at the competition, with Bergsma taking the bronze medal in the event.