'Breaks your heart': Winter Olympics fans stunned after brutal scenes
Viewers of the free ice skate at the Winter Olympics were left heartbroken after Nolan Seerget couldn't muster the energy to lift his partner into the air on two occasions during a tough routine.
Seerget suffered from Covid-19 in the lead up to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and spent 10 days in isolation, which prompted him and his skate partner Minerva Fabienne Hase to lose time for preparation.
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The pair were forced to miss the team event earlier this month, leaving Hase to train on her own ahead of the pairs event.
And in devastating scenes, Seerget cut a forlorn figure after he failed to lift Hase on two occasions during their routine.
The crowd at Beijing's Capital Indoor Stadium rallied behind the pair with raucous cheers.
The pair scored 87.32 points, sitting in last place with 149.69 points overall with eight skaters to go.
"Most of their throw jumps... oh no! Nasty fall!" exclaimed Eurosport commentator Simon Reed.
"There is no strength in Nolan it seems."
"Oh dear!" fellow commentator Chris Howarth added.
"This is falling apart. A real shame. I just wonder if it has anything to do with the Covid."
Viewers heartbroken at free skate routine
Following the routine, Hase showed remarkable poise and selflessness to praise her German partner who tried his hardest during the routine.
"It was just pure fighting and I'm really proud of him that he pulled me through this programme," she said.
"We were done. We were just done," the 22-year-old added.
Viewers took to social media to praise the German pair for their guts during a really tough routine.
Germanyβs π©πͺ Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nolan Seegert show untypical struggles on two lifts! Letβs not forget Nolan just came back from one week in quarantaine! Hope to see you come back strong at Worlds! 149.69 (FS 87.32)#Olympics #Beijing2022 #FigureSkating pic.twitter.com/xkXU7iG67I
β Golden Skate (@goldenskate) February 19, 2022
Heartbreaking free skate for Hase /Seegert. Obviously, Nolan being in isolation impacted their training time. Despite this skate, glad they got to skate two programs at the Olympics. #Beijing2022 #FigureSkating
β FigureSkatersOnline (@fsonline) February 19, 2022
My heart aches for Germanyβs Nolan Seegert, the disappointment pours out of him and I love that Minerva is so supportive of him.π₯Ί
β Shelia Taylor (@SheliaTaylor) February 19, 2022
Poor Nolan Seegert, I hope he is okay, I wonder if it is the affect of the positive Covid test. Despite of the struggles, they fought well at this Olympics, well done to them!
β boribon (@Cosmos941207) February 19, 2022
The #Beijing2022 #skating has been overshadowed, but saw something else iβll remember on the ice today.
The gentle, graceful support of German Minerva Fabienne #Hase towards her partner Nolan #Seegert, not at his best after covid quarantine.
Utterly selfless & empathetic.
ππβπΌ https://t.co/Lts4pRVKkgβ Lee Wellings (@LeeW_Sport) February 19, 2022
Absolutely gutted for both Nolan Seegert & Minerva Hase π
β π«π· Β₯ ΡΞΉΠΌΟβΡ ΡΠΊΡβΞ±Ρ Β₯ π«π· (@xoBronxBarbiexo) February 19, 2022
Following the routine, Pyeongchang gold-medal winner Aljona Savchenko told Eurosport: "10 days in quarantine is a lot. You see that he is exhausted. This breaks your heart a little bit. Nolan feels guilty.
"The lifts are very important. There are not many points left, but he tried hard and could not do magic."
with Reuters
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