Emotional moment on ARD
Felix Neureuther hugs the ski star – and bursts into tears
01/20/2025 – 11:22 amReading time: 1 min.
Felix Neureuther is a regular expert at the ARD microphone. The otherwise rather humorous and matter-of-fact ex-athlete showed his emotional side on Sunday.
In the end, the Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath was 0.18 seconds ahead of second place in the slalom in Wengen. A narrow victory for the 24-year-old, who has had a long period of suffering behind him. In March 2023, McGrath tore his cruciate ligament and was out for a long time. A year ago he said on “Laola1”: “When you are injured, you realize that people, the whole ski world, quickly forget you.”
But Felix Neureuther has not forgotten McGrath. The German ex-ski racer, who followed the Norwegian’s victory live as an ARD expert on Sunday, greeted the winner, pointed to his leg and hugged him. The two hugged each other for a few seconds, patting each other on the back appreciatively, an emotional moment. Neureuther even shed a few tears.
He then said: “What the guy did mentally today was so clever, so clever. At its best.” The Norwegian himself also cried with happiness. “Felix gave me a few tips between runs,” said McGrath.
Neureuther can easily empathize with McGrath’s situation. The German ski world champion also had to struggle with a torn cruciate ligament during his career. In 2017, the accident happened that cost him his participation in the 2018 Olympic Games.