KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia – If Martin Johnsrud Sundby needs a morale boost after his disappointing race at the Sochi Olympics, he shouldn't look to his mother.
The cross-country skier who leads the overall World Cup was Norway's biggest hope for a medal in the men's 15-kilometer classical race on Friday, but ended up 13th, more than 1 ½ minutes after winner Dario Cologna of Switzerland.
His mother Gro Johnsrud Langslet was watching the race live in a Norwegian TV studio, and wasn't exactly impressed with her son's performance.
Resting her chin in her hand despondently as her son struggled in the warm conditions, Langslet said on DBTV: "You're the worst Norwegian. You should go home."
The comments seemed to be meant as lighthearted banter, but Langslet didn't mince her words as her son neared the finish.
"Look at that," she said. "He doesn't stand a chance."
Sundby did win a bronze medal in the 30K skiathlon on Sunday, and Langslet defended her son's abilities after the race — sort of.
"He isn't as bad as this indicates," she said. "This is the worst he's been this year."
— By Mattias Karen — Twitter: http://twitter.com/mattekaren
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Associated Press reporters are filing dispatches about happenings in and around Sochi during the 2014 Winter Games. Follow AP journalists covering the Olympics on Twitter: http://apne.ws/1c3WMiu
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