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Cross-country skier’s mom declares him “the worst Norwegian”

Cross-Country Skiing - Winter Olympics Day 7

xxxx competes in the Men’s 15 km Classic during day seven of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 14, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

Paul Gilham

Some days, you have a good race. Some days, you have a bad one.

Norwegian cross-country skier Martin Johnsrud Sundby - who won bronze in last Sunday’s skiathlon - had the latter in Friday’s men’s 15k classic, finishing 13th in a race that he was expected to contend for a medal in.

You’d figure that of all the people that could cheer him up afterwards, his mother would be the first in line.

Well...That didn’t quite happen.

“You’re the worst Norwegian,” said Sundby’s mom, Gro Johnsrud Langslet, on Norwegian television during the race. “You should go home.”

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Now, as eyebrow-raising as those comments are, one could chalk them up as having been made in jest.

But as her son trudged toward the finish line, she said: “Look at that. He doesn’t stand a chance.”

“He isn’t as bad as this indicates,” she added. “This is the worst he’s been this year.”

Well, mothers do try to be honest with their children.

Sundby probably isn’t worrying about the matter right now, as he’s currently competing in the men’s 4x10km relay for Team Norway.

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