A cross-country skier has blamed his Winter Olympics disappointment on a serious case of gastroenteritis, appearing inconsolable during an emotional interview on French television.
Jules Chappaz, 26, was left devastated after crashing out in the quarter-finals of the men’s sprint on Tuesday and has since blamed his early exit on stomach problems that left him feeling ‘terrible’.
A stomach bug, which had reportedly spread through the French squad over the past few weeks, left Chappaz with gas since the end of qualifying and he was unable to recover in time for the quarter-finals.
‘I wasn’t feeling well at all, I had a stomach ache,’ the distraught skier told France 2.
‘I felt a bit nauseous and I had gas since the end of qualifying. My body is slowly recovering and it was perhaps a little too soon. Four years of work down the drain because of gastroenteritis.
‘From the start, I felt nauseous. Since the end of qualifying, I haven’t been feeling well. I don’t have many symptoms anymore but as soon as I push myself, I feel terrible.’
Cross-country skier Jules Chappaz gave an emotional interview on French television, blaming a serious case of gastroenteritis for putting ‘four years of work down the drain’
A stomach bug left Chappaz with gas and he was unable to recover in time for his quarter-final
Having arrived in Milan with hopes of winning a medal, the Frenchman – who was battling the illness before the Games – underestimated the impact it would have on his performance.
‘I wanted to believe I could do it, otherwise I wouldn’t have come,’ he continued. ‘I was here to win a medal, but unfortunately, things haven’t gone very well these last two weeks.
‘I did what I could with what I had. My body isn’t exactly inclined to give its all right now. These are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, everyone was there for me.’
According to the NHS website, gastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It’s usually caused by a bacterial or viral stomach bug.
Chappaz was placed in a competitive quarter-final group alongside overwhelming favourite Johannes Hosflot Klaebo, who has fast become a viral sensation for his astonishing technique in the uphill sprint.
After winning his second gold of the Games in Milan, footage of Klaebo leaving his rivals in the dust left fans in awe on social media.
The clip showed the 29-year-old speeding at more than 10mph up a slope in footage that appeared to defy physics.
Despite being faced with difficult competition, Chappaz added: ‘You have to be able to beat everyone if you want to win a medal. I was aware of that.
His rival Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo celebrates with his gold medal after his stunning sprint win
‘It’s the Olympics, I really wanted to run! Qualifying [as the third fastest time] gave me high hopes.
‘Maybe I didn’t have enough energy to get through the rounds. It’s a shame because I wasn’t far off even though I wasn’t feeling great. That’s life.
‘My regret is my form. I believed in myself until the very end and gave it my all, but it wasn’t enough.’
