An Olympic skier’s gold medal hopes fell apart after she took a tumble and broke a ski – forcing her to compete with just one.

Ebba Andersson of Sweden was competing in the second leg of the women’s 4×7.5km cross-country relay on Saturday when she fell twice. 

On the second fall, she did a 360-degree flip and the ski on her right foot detached and slid away down the course.

When she finally caught up to it, she realised that the binding had broken and that she would have to continue with only her left ski – at a glacial pace.

As she struggled on, the Swedish ski technicians took their time. ‘There is no one in sight,’ said Posy Musgrave on commentary. ‘There is nothing Andersson can do right now – finally, we have one of the ski techs for Sweden. Let’s hope it is the right shape ski, the right wax.’

To make matters worse, when one did come with a replacement, he also took a fall in slightly slapstick fashion.

Sweden’s Ebba Andersson fell twice and broke one of her skis in the women’s 4×7.5km cross-country relay at the Winter Olympics

Andersson then made slow progress as she attempted to compete with just one ski

The man delivering her replacement shi then took a fall as Sweden’s gold medal hopes died

All the while, Andersson’s team-mates matched in dismay as the Winter Olympic dreams that they had built towards for years melted away. 

‘She’s had two falls, she is so tense out there – she has let the pressure get to her,’ said Posy Musgrave on commentary. 

‘I almost want to cry for her, it is so bad when something like that happens. 

‘No one wants to win a race like this, no one wants to win a medal like this.’

Andersson handed over to her team-mates in eighth place – but, remarkably, Frida Karlsson and Jonna Sundling wrestled back to claim a silver medal behind Norway. 

Speaking to TNT Sports after, Andersson said: ‘This day was a complete disaster for me.

‘Unfortunately for the team, my leg got a really big gap for both Frida and Jonna  to chase the other nations.

‘My body feels okay, but it hurts more in my heart.’

Sweden miraculously recovered from eighth to claim a silver medal in the event on Saturday

Andersson said: ‘My body feels okay, but it hurts more in my heart’

Karlsson said: ‘I was just determined to give it my all out there and fight for the team. 

‘We will give [Ebba] a lot of hugs and love and we share her emotions.

‘We’re the best team, we share everything – and we will melt this and reload together.’