The Agony of Fourth: Athletes' Near-Misses at the Podium

Elite athletes often find themselves in the agonizing position of finishing fourth, just shy of an Olympic medal. Athletes like Annika Morgan, Nils Allegre, and Kirsty Muir express the pain and bittersweet emotions of narrowly missing the podium after years of dedication and hard work.

Finishing fourth is often the hardest pill to swallow for elite athletes, merely a step away from Olympic glory. For German snowboarder Annika Morgan, coming in fourth at the Milano Cortina Games was a harsh reality to accept, despite her impressive competition run.

French skier Nils Allegre faced similar emotions after narrowly missing a medal by just 0.03 seconds in the super-G. His career has been marred by such close calls, always falling short by mere milliseconds.

American bobsledders Frankie del Duca and Joshua Williamson share the heartbreak, having repeatedly placed fourth, despite their commendable efforts. Britain's Kirsty Muir too expressed frustration, yet pride, following her fourth-place finishes in freestyle skiing, highlighting the thin line between recognition and anonymity in the world of sports.

(With inputs from agencies.)