( CNN ) -- It was a `` million to one odds '' that the Olympic women 's triathlon race would end in a photo finish , but the outcome is again in doubt following Sweden 's decision to appeal the result in sport 's last-resort court . The Swedish Olympic Committee ( NOC ) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport following its failure to have Lisa Norden awarded the gold medal following last Saturday 's event . Switzerland 's Nicola Spirig was adjudged to have crossed the line first after both women finished in one hour 59.43 seconds and was awarded victory despite protests from the Swedes . Both the NOC and the Swedish Triathlon Federation failed to have the decision overturned after filing an official complaint to the International Triathlon Union ( ITU ) . Norden 's fate now rests in the hands of the CAS , which will make a decision on Saturday in London . The ITU told CNN it could not comment on the case until after the verdict . Brownlee brothers take triathlon by storm . It was time an Olympic triathlon has been settled in such a manner , and former Australian triathlete Bridie O'Donnell was astonished by the close finish . `` It was a million to one odds , '' she told CNN . `` Perhaps it 's a bit remiss of coaches not to work on the finishing styles of their athletes as one of the girls dipped her head and the other went with her chest . `` I just think that nobody ever expected such a close finish because you would expect after two hours of competition that there would be a bigger gap . I 've never seen anything like it in all my time of watching triathlon . '' O'Donnell said that Saturday 's decision will have a huge impact on the winner . `` It 's a shame that it has gone to CAS because the race has gone and the medal ceremony can not be brought back , but you can not underestimate how much that gold medal means because it can change somebody 's life , '' she said . `` To normal people watching they just think about the race and some people will say that they should get on with it . `` But that gold could mean â‚¬100,000 ( $ 123,000 ) to somebody and that 's why the Swedish team are possibly appealing . I 'm sure the Swiss would have done the same if it had been the other way around . '' Now based in Colorado , O'Donnell has taken time out of her medical career to compete on the Pro-cycling circuit . A qualified doctor and a seven-time national rowing champion , she has competed in several triathlons and Ironman competitions . `` I love triathlon and I thought that the Olympic race was gripping , '' O'Donnell said . `` I was watching it with a lot of people who were n't fans of triathlon and now they absolutely love it . `` I hope that the attention the sport is receiving will now help get people into it because it was really a wonderful spectacle . ''
Photo finish in Olympic women 's triathlon race was `` a million to one odds '' Swedish Olympic and triathlon bodies take their appeal to sports court . International Triathlon Union had rejected earlier protests against last weekend 's result . Former triathlete says Saturday 's decision `` could mean â‚¬100,000 to somebody ''