Professional skier Mikaela Shiffrin suffered a stab wound to her abdomen after crashing into a fence while skiing in Vermont.
Shiffrin, 29, was in her second World Cup giant slalom run in Killington, Vt., on Saturday, Nov. 30, when the accident happened. According to CNN, she was within reach of her goal when she hit a door and flipped over before sliding into another door.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist was taken down the slope by sled and transported to a medical center by ambulance, according to a statement from USA Skiing and Snowboard shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Dec. 1.
“No ligament damage was found. Bones and internal organs look good. He has a stab wound on the right side of his abdomen and severe muscle trauma,” the statement said.
Mikaela Shiffrin Injured November 30, 2024
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Shiffrin gave an update on her health in an Instagram video on Nov. 30, beginning with, “Hi guys, not too much to worry about right now.”
“I just can’t move,” the record-breaking athlete continued. “I’ve got a pretty good scratch and something stung me… And so I just can’t move. I’m sorry to scare everyone and all scans so far seem to be clear, so thanks for your support and concern and congratulations to the winners and my teammates on their amazing performances.”
“I am very happy for you,” she added.
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Shiffrin reportedly took the lead in the event – which would have marked her 100th World Cup victory – before the crash. The athlete, who went to ski school in Vermont, previously spoke to Reuters about returning to the state to compete.
“I guess there’s a little bit of pressure about it, but I’ll try to ignore it,” she told the news outlet. “If it happens, it’s wonderful; if that doesn’t happen, there’s no reason to cry in the grand scheme of things. But I hope to have a very good performance in front of the home crowd.”
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Shiffrin previously suffered the injury in January after a high-speed crash in Italy that stretched knee ligaments. Although the incident forced her to miss six weeks from competition, she ultimately said she was “grateful,” noting to CNN that it could have been a lot worse.
Her next competition is scheduled for two weeks in Beaver Creek, Colo., although it’s unclear at this point if Shiffrin will be able to compete.
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Source: HIS Education