Swiss ski sensation Lara Gut-Behrami has announced that she will be sidelined for the remainder of the Olympic season due to a serious knee injury sustained during a training crash in the United States. The 34-year-old, who would have been defending her super-G Olympic title in Cortina d’Ampezzo next month, had planned to retire at the end of the season.
The accident occurred while Gut-Behrami was training in super-G at Copper Mountain, Colorado, resulting in ligament ruptures and meniscus damage in her left knee. Despite the setback, she expressed perspective, stating that while the injury is complex, it cannot be categorized as a tragedy, especially in light of recent fatal accidents involving young skiers during training.
The two-time World Cup overall champion is scheduled to undergo surgery next week. She has not officially called time on her career, opting to assess her options once she has recovered from the injury. The Milan Cortina Olympics would have marked Gut-Behrami’s fourth Winter Games, with the women’s Alpine skiing events taking place on the same course where she clinched gold in super-G and giant slalom at the 2021 world championships, along with a bronze in downhill.
