Australian teenager withdraws from Olympic event after crash in practice

Livigno: Australian teenager Daisy Thomas has had to withdraw from the women’s slopestyle at the Milano Cortina Olympics after she was stretchered off following a crash in her practice session on Friday afternoon, local time.

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.

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 and taken to hospital for scans.

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

However, Friday’s crash has re-injured that same knee, and the teenager has since withdrawn from her first event – the women’s freeski slopestyle qualifying – which begins on Saturday morning (local time).

The extent of her injury remains unclear, with MRI scans taking place early on Friday evening, however Thomas said she is determined to compete in the women’s freeski big air which begins on February 14.

“I’ve made the decision along with my medical and support team to pull from slopestyle tomorrow in order to reset, refocus and channel my energy into big air,” Thomas said.

“I am doing all good and am keen to get training for big air.”

Speaking at a media conference two days before the crash, Thomas said she was capable of being competitive despite rupturing her ACL in November.

“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.”

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

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