Australian freeskier Daisy Thomas has been ruled out of her first event at the Winter Olympics, just two months after suffering a major knee injury. The 18-year-old from Sydney was set to make her Olympic debut in the women's slopestyle qualifying round at Livigno's Snow Park but withdrew after a training crash.
Training Setback Forces Withdrawal
Thomas fell on the final jump during a training session on Friday and was taken off the course on a stretcher. Later that day, she announced on Instagram that she had decided to pull out of the slopestyle event to focus on recovery and preparation for the women's freeski big air competition, which begins on February 14.
In her social media post, Thomas stated, "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. I am doing all good and am keen to get training for Big Air."
Racing Against Time After ACL Rupture
The Australian Olympic team confirmed that Thomas had been undergoing an MRI but was cleared to compete despite rupturing her ACL in November. A statement from the team noted, "Thomas arrived in Livigno after having undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation and testing process in order to compete without an ACL."
This setback mirrors the experience of alpine skiing great Lindsey Vonn, who is also competing without an ACL at the Milan-Cortina Games. Vonn revealed she ruptured her ACL in a crash before her fifth Olympics but completed training and will line up in the women's downhill.
Remarkable Comeback Journey
Thomas initially injured her ACL in a World Cup freeski big air event in China in late November, with early predictions suggesting it would end her Olympic hopes. At that competition, she was on track for a medal, qualifying second for the finals.
Despite the severity of the injury, Thomas refused to give up on her Olympic dream. She returned to competition just 47 days later at the Laax Open in Switzerland. Speaking after a practice run in Livigno on Thursday, she expressed confidence, saying, "I did my ACL about a month-and-a-half ago, so I'm just skiing without an ACL at the minute. 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."
Another Australian Athlete Facing Challenges
Thomas is the second Australian athlete in danger of missing competition at the Games, following aerialist Laura Peel, who suffered a knee injury in training. The 36-year-old Peel is aiming for her fourth Olympics and hopes to finally claim a medal after finishing fifth at Beijing 2022.
Team chef de mission Alisa Camplin commented on Peel's situation, noting that her event is not until February 17, so she is still evaluating her options. Camplin said, "She's working with her coaches and physios and sports psychologists trying to work out what is the plan for every single day. She's still got many days until her competition. I think sometimes we forget that every athlete's journey into the Olympics is a total rollercoaster and there's so many ups and downs. There's actually no perfect preparation. You've just got to roll with what happens and make your best decisions so that you bring what you can when you get to the start gate."
The Australian Olympic team continues to support both athletes as they navigate these challenges, with Thomas now shifting her focus to the big air event in hopes of achieving her medal aspirations.
