Australian teenager stretchered off after crash in Olympic practice

3 weeks ago 15

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Livigno: Australian teenager Daisy Thomas has been stretchered off after a crash in her practice session on Friday afternoon, local time, at the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Thomas fell and crashed at the bottom of the Livigno slopestyle course on the final jump of her last practice run on Friday, only 15 minutes before the session was due to end.

Australian Daisy Thomas has been stretchered off after a crash in Livigno.

The 18-year-old’s coach Noah was moments behind her on the slopes and went to her assistance, before she was stretchered off by medical staff.

She is due to compete in her first event – the women’s freeski slope style qualifying – tomorrow morning, and has also qualified for the women’s freeski big air event which begins on February 16.

Thomas ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in November, but has persevered through the injury and made a return to competition in January so she could make her Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.

Daisy Thomas at a team training session in Melbourne last year.

Speaking at a media conference two days before the crash, Thomas said she was capable of being competitive despite the injury.

“I did my ACL about a month-and-a-half ago, so I’m just skiing without an ACL at the minute,” she said.

“I’m strong enough, I’m capable enough, and I’ve got my tricks back, so I’m able to do it and I don’t really notice it at all. The goal still remains the same - I’d love to get an Olympic medal.”

Thomas was asked about the Olympic course at that conference, and said it was big and funky, but also had standard jumps mixed in.

“That gives us a lot of opportunity for a lot of different tricks. All the features are really trickable, which is super refreshing,” she said.

“When you get an Olympic course, the rails are a lot higher out the ground, and a lot longer as well. Some of the rails are taller than me (165 centimetres), but it’s super fun. That relationship with fear is the reason a lot of us do this sport.”

More to come

The Winter Olympic Games will be broadcast on the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.

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