Freestyle skier Mac Forehand seems much nicer than many American fans.
Forehand competed in the Big Air final at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Tuesday. After landing a trick that looked like it came straight out of a video game, it appeared the 24-year-old would win a gold medal for Team USA. The judges had other ideas.
They gave him a 98.25 for his sweet trick, bringing his total to 193.25 and earning him the silver medal. (In freestyle skiing, athletes’ two best scores count toward their total.) Norwegian Tormod Frostad won the gold medal (195.50). Forehand still didn’t act like a sore loser after just missing out on first.
Mac Forehand discusses missing out on gold medal
“I’ve seen it so many times before: I got robbed, someone I beat got robbed — rob this, rob that,” Forehand said (per Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken). “But we know so much about our sport. We know what scores well, what should do well. The guys who are out here tonight know what the podium is going to be at all times. People on the outside perspective might not really understand that, but that’s just how it’s going to be. And, you know, judged sports — like in figure skating — it’s the same way. But what do they really know about their sport?”