Everyone saw Kamil Stoch's gesture. The champion bitterly: 'Why did I show it?'

— “Now I think to myself: ‘why did I even show that?’” — Kamil Stoch said bitterly when asked about the “six” he showed with his fingers after his jump. It was a reference to the number of Olympic Games he has taken part in. The three-time Olympic champion didn’t hide his disappointment with his Olympic performance. Although coach Maciej Maciusiak had not announced the duet team yet, Stoch had no illusions about not being selected. At one point during the mixed zone, his eyes filled with tears.

This correspondence from Predazzo describes a contest on the normal hill that clearly didn’t go to Stoch’s liking. He didn’t break down — from the start he emphasized that he had much bigger hopes for the large hill, and his training had seemed to confirm that.

Unfortunately, Saturday’s event ended with a disappointing 21st place for him. Stoch admitted he expected much more.

— I was held back not so much by September memories as by some good training jumps, or at least somewhat better ones. In my attempts I already started to see something brighter, but reality turned out different. In competition I couldn’t deliver such free jumps. There was a lot of stiffness, a lot of wanting and trying. I went all in and it turned out like this — he said.

Asked whether he lost mostly to his own head, he could not fully answer. — This winter has been generally difficult for me. It’s about struggles with technical things or mental ones. Honestly, it would take a miracle for me to get a very good result here. I believed everything can happen in ski jumping and that a day like that could come when everything would go for me. I can’t explain why it’s like this. I don’t want to dig into it here, invent theories, or belittle myself. I gave it my maximum and that was enough for now — he said sadly.

Stoch admitted that earlier in the week he still believed in that miracle. He trained with that mindset, and went into the competition focused on tasks, but this time that approach didn’t bring a positive result.

— I tried simply to do my job well, to carry out the procedures I had to do. Unfortunately mistakes appeared which, given my current form, are enough for a twentieth-place finish — he told us.

The symbolic gesture and then “why did I show it?”

Right after his jump Stoch held up six fingers, referring obviously to the fact that these Olympics are the sixth in his career.

— Now I think to myself: ‘why did I actually show that’. On one hand nobody gave me this sixth Olympics for free, I had to fight for them, but on the other hand it hurts the way I presented myself here because I expected a lot, a lot more — he said.

When reminded of his past successes and medals that still make him a legend, Stoch’s eyes misted. — Surely a moment will come when I’ll sit down and remember everything that happened in these twenty years. Both successes and tough moments. I’ll separate the important things from those that should be forgotten, but you know me — for now I need to live through this and process it — we heard.

Stoch has no illusions about the duet competition

Maciej Maciusiak did not want to immediately announce the duet lineup after Saturday’s contest. He said he wanted to watch his athletes’ jumps closely. However, he noted that most likely Kacper Tomasiak and Paweł Wąsek will compete.

— I’m not deluding myself, I am aware how it looks. The best will jump. Right now Paweł shows better form than me and that’s how it should be — Stoch said openly.

Today the jumpers have a day off. The duet contest is scheduled for Monday.