The Austrian ski racer Katharina Liensberger has to bury her Olympic dream after a fall.
Around a month before the start of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (February 6th to 22nd), the Austrian ski team suffered a bitter setback. Ski racer Katharina Liensberger fell during giant slalom training in St. Michael on Friday morning and suffered a serious knee injury.
After initial treatment, the 28-year-old was flown directly by helicopter to the Hochrum Clinic near Innsbruck for further examination. An MRI scan revealed a fracture of the tibial plateau and a torn meniscus and medial ligament in the right knee.
Liensberger, who narrowly missed out on a podium finish in fourth place at the World Cup in Semmering shortly before the turn of the year, is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday. The Olympic season ends early for them.
Liensberger is always one of the favorites at major events
Liensberger’s season has been mixed so far, she only made it into the top ten twice. But the Austrian has proven time and again in the past that she can really turn up the heat at major events.
She won silver at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, and in 2021 she achieved gold at the World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo – exactly on the route where the Olympic slalom will soon be held. And just last year she won bronze at the World Championships in the slalom in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.