“RIP, cruciate ligament”
The hopeful gets injured – and misses the Olympics
November 29, 2025 – 9:35 a.mReading time: 1 min.
At the beginning of the year, Lauren Macuga drew attention to herself – now she is condemned to watch. An injury completely derails the talent.
Lauren Macuga will no longer be able to compete in the current ski season. According to the US Ski Association, the 23-year-old speed specialist suffered a serious injury to her right knee in a training fall. An exact diagnosis has not been published, but one thing is certain: the American needs surgery and will be out for the rest of the season.
In an Instagram post, Macuga himself revealed how serious the injury is. She wrote: “RIP cruciate ligament. See you all next year.” This means that their participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo is also excluded. These will take place from February 6th to 22nd – a return to competition until then is not possible.
The speed specialist was considered a beacon of hope in the US team and fought for podium places in the World Cup against, among others, the German-Swedish ski racer Emma Aicher. In January she celebrated her first World Cup victory in the Super-G in St. Anton, and in February she won bronze in the Super-G at the World Championships in Saalbach.
The Olympic exit is also difficult for a personal reason. Macuga had planned to compete in the games with her two sisters. While she is active in the alpine area, her younger sister Alli Macuga competes in freestyle skiing. Samantha Macuga, the oldest of the three, is active in ski jumping. Now the dream of appearing at the Olympics together in the Macuga family will not become a reality for the time being.