The Internet Found Its New Hero. It’s an Olympic Skier Who Finished Dead Last.

2 minute read
By Megan McCluskey

Mexican cross-country skier German Madrazo may have come in dead last in Friday’s 15km men’s individual race at the 2018 Winter Olympics, but his finish line celebration was gold medal-worthy.

Madrazo, who picked up skiing in 2017, completed the strenuous course nearly 26 minutes behind Switzerland’s Dario Cologna—whose time of 33:43.9 earned him a historic third consecutive gold in the event—but that didn’t stop him from jubilantly waving his country’s flag as he came down the final straight.

A number of fellow warm-weather country skiers—including famed Tongan flag-bearer Pita Taufatofua and Colombia’s Sebastian Uprimny—joyously greeted Madrazo at the finish before hoisting him into the air, prompting an emotional reaction from viewers watching the scene.

“Love this Winter Olympics picture,” tweeted Telegraph reporter Ben Bloom. “26 minutes after the winner, Mexican cross country skier German Madrazo is welcomed by friends/rivals from Colombia, Tonga, Morocco and Portugal as he finishes. They came 111 / 113 / 114 / 115 / 116 (out of 116) and are absolutely buzzing.”

See some of the reactions below.

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Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com