Who is Gabriel Gledhill? British skier whose shocking admission of racing 50km World Cup in Oslo while being drunk goes viral

British cross-country skier Gabriel Gledhill has sparked major controversy after revealing that he competed in a 50 km World Cup race in Oslo while heavily intoxicated. The 23-year-old athlete admitted he drank several beers and shots during the competition at the famous Holmenkollen ski arena.

His comments quickly drew criticism from Scandinavian media and several winter sports commentators who questioned his professionalism and respect for the race.The race was won by Norwegian skier Einar Hedegart, while Gledhill finished far behind the leaders. Despite the backlash, the young British skier appeared relaxed about the situation and described the experience as a unique and chaotic moment.

Gabriel Gledhill admits drinking during the 50-kilometre cross-country World Cup race

The dramatic incident happened during the men’s 50-kilometre cross-country World Cup race at the famous Holmenkollen venue in Oslo.

The event is known for its festival-like atmosphere. Gledhill later revealed after the race that he got caught up in the atmosphere. He explained that the race felt more like a celebration than a competition and that he started drinking during the event. According to him, he began consuming beer and schnapps around the third lap of the race. Over the course of the event, he reportedly drank more than a dozen beers along with several shots of alcohol.

The decision clearly affected his performance. Gledhill struggled physically and finished the race more than twenty minutes behind Hedegart. He eventually crossed the finish line in 67th place among the 75 skiers who started the race.The British athlete also admitted that the race became extremely difficult because of the alcohol. At one point during the event he even became sick and had to stop briefly. Reports also suggested that he paused multiple times along the route to accept drinks offered by spectators, including beer and small glasses of Jägermeister, before continuing.Later in the race he joined the group of female competitors, who had started about 45 minutes after the men’s field.Despite criticism from media and experts, Gledhill defended himself by saying that he believed his behaviour did not interfere with other competitors. He insisted the chaotic experience was simply part of enjoying the unique environment at Holmenkollen.Outside of competition, Gledhill is known for his confident personality and active presence on social media. The Suffolk-born skier has also worked as a model and once described appearing on the cover of Tatler magazine as a childhood dream before the Winter Olympics.Although he is seen as a promising talent in British cross-country skiing, he has yet to achieve a major breakthrough at the Winter Olympics.