The great Norwegian gold hope Jarl Magnus Riiber is still in isolation, despite the fact that the Norwegian team had thought that they would get him out and over in a more quarantine-like situation on Saturday. Now, however, it has been determined that Riiber needs three negative tests in three days to become a free man. On Saturday, he produced the first negative. If the test he took on Sunday, and the one he is to give on Monday is negative, he will be released on Monday afternoon.
This means that the big golden hope CAN get on the team for Tuesday’s race in the big hill, at the expense of either Espen Andersen, Espen Bjørnstad or Jens Lurås Oftebro. Silver winner in the small hill, Jørgen Graabak, is probably safe.
– Purely mathematically, he manages it, but then we must be able to sign him up after the official training on Monday. It may go well, but there are some health aspects that are worth discussing. Is it wise to walk ten kilometers in height here on such tough trails, after such a period ?, national team manager Ivar Stuan asks rhetorically in an interview with TV 2.
The sports news: Frida Karlsson did not want to take on the medal
–
– Jarl is a young athlete who has a lot of his career ahead of him, so we do not want to risk anything. We will discuss internally, and not least with Jarl himself who is the most important here. What he says will mean a lot.
Riiber has kept in shape with a bicycle, treadmill, running in the hallway and by “skating” on a ski mat. It is still a long way from normal training, and for every day in isolation, the possibility that he will reach it decreases. But the opportunity is there.
– Jarl is in a unique situation. He is a unique athlete as the world’s best combined runner. If he is ready, then no one will say no to it, unless there are weighty arguments that go the other way.
That the isolation period has become longer than first predicted and partly characterized by great uncertainty, Stuan takes seriously.
– I think it’s absolutely awful for him. And for our part. It’s a nightmare the whole Olympics for him. These have been terrible days, but the one who has tackled it best is him. Both at home in Norway and we who are here are frustrated on his behalf.
Silver winner in the first exercise, Jørgen Graabak, is eagerly awaiting the answer.
– I think it’s tough. We would like to have Jarl at the start and in the group. It’s a loss for us. We cross our fingers that he can get out of isolation. At the same time, it’s fun to see the way he handles it. He lives in a gym now with all the equipment. He trains and really makes the best of the situation. He does not sit and sip in the room, and will probably come out in good condition and ready to contribute if he gets the chance, Graabak says to Tv 2.
But he balances on a knife edge.
– If he should get a positive test today or tomorrow, then I think the Olympics are over, says Ivar Stuan.
–
