Speed skater’s fall on final stretch of 124-mile race is definition of heartbreak

Sports heartbreak is difficult to measure, but Dutch skater Elma de Vries might have set a new bar when she fell with the finish line in sight of a grueling 200 kilometer race. Deep into the final straight with nobody in front, de Vries fell onto her stomach and began sliding towards the finish line like a penguin. Her momentum wasn’t enough to carry her over the line, so she could only watch as three skaters passed her — ensuring she wouldn’t make the podium.

This wasn’t just an ordinary race, it was an extreme long distance event. By the time competitors reached the finish line they’d been skating for almost eight hours and were utterly exhausted.

There’s no silver lining to this one — it just sucked.

h/t NOS