DISMAY FOR CANADA’S HARVEY
PYEONGCHANG The winds howled, the temperatures dropped to a frigid -19 C and Alex Harvey had no real answer for either the conditions or a trio of Norwegians who left the Canadian hopeful stunned, emotional and disappointed here on Sunday.
This was his first real shot an Olympic medal and he was right there — in contention, knocking on the podium door — until the final minutes of the men’s 30 km skiathlon, where he had nothing left.
“It is disappointing,” Harvey said. “I just did not have the legs today. The victory was possible with 3 kilometres left. With 1.5 km left, I was in the perfect spot for the silver. I just didn’t have the legs, it’s disappointing. I can only blame myself.”
He can blame himself and the trio of Norwegians who swept the podium.
On Saturday night here, a Norwegian sweep pushed a Canadian speedskater off the podium. Here the sweep, for a country one-fifth the size of Canada, was not necessarily expected but not considered shocking either.
Harvey’s next attempt for a medal comes Tuesday here in the men’s sprint classic event.