Austrian ski jumper Daniel Tschofenig has expressed deep regret after being thrown out of the Winter Olympics men’s large hill individual event final due to oversized footwear.
The 23-year-old admitted he made a critical error by failing to check his new boots before competition.
Speaking to Austrian broadcaster ORF, Tschofenig said: “I was surprised.
“I wore a new shoe during training, and wasn’t actually that happy with it, but I stuck with it.”
He added: “Unfortunately, I was naive and didn’t measure it. Extremely stupid of me, there was just so much stress going on. But rules are rules.”
Tschofenig’s Olympic dream came to an abrupt end when officials discovered his boots exceeded the permitted size by four millimetres.
The Austrian had performed strongly in the qualifying round, posting a score of 137.7 that placed him eighth heading into the final.
Austrian ski jumper Daniel Tschofenig has expressed deep regret after being thrown out of the Winter Olympics men’s large hill individual event final due to oversized footwear
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Many had considered him a genuine medal contender before the equipment violation came to light.
The disqualification marked the first time a ski jumper had been removed from competition at these Winter Olympics.
Despite showing significant improvement from his training performances, Tschofenig was left to watch from the sidelines as the final unfolded without him.
Daniel Tschofenig had been targeting a medal at the Winter Olympics
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TNT Sports commentator Ian Findlay broke the news during the broadcast, stating: “The big news just after the first round, Tschofenig, disqualified due to boot size, four millimetres over.”
He confirmed this represented the inaugural disqualification in ski jumping at these Games, with Slovenia’s Hektor Kapustik taking the Austrian’s place in the competition.
Former Slovenian ski jumper Ernej Damjan described the development as significant, noting that Tschofenig had finally discovered extra form only to be eliminated from contention.
Damjan observed that the Austrian had demonstrated considerable improvement compared to his training sessions and remained in a strong position to challenge for medals before the ruling.
Slovenia’s Hektor Kapustik stepped into the field as Tschofenig’s replacement following the disqualification.
Austrian ski jumper Daniel Tschofenig has been thrown out of the Winter Olympics final | REUTERSThe final saw another Slovenian claim the top prize, with Domen Prevc securing the gold medal.
Japan’s Ren Nikaido earned silver in the competition, whilst Poland’s Kacper Tomasiak completed the podium with bronze.
For Tschofenig, who had been widely tipped as a potential medallist, the outcome represented a devastating blow to his Olympic ambitions.
The Austrian’s failure to verify his equipment measurements ultimately cost him any chance of standing on the podium at what should have been a career-defining moment.