Livigno, Italy – Australian aerial skier Laura Peel’s fourth Olympic Games ended before it began Saturday, as a ruptured ACL forced her withdrawal from competition just days before her scheduled event. The 36-year-old’s injury, sustained during a training camp in Airolo, Switzerland, on February 3, marks the fourth withdrawal from the Australian Olympic team due to injury.
Peel, a two-time world champion and 15-time World Cup winner, was considered a strong medal contender in the women’s aerials event. She had recently demonstrated impressive form, securing a World Cup victory in Canada, but ultimately determined her knee lacked the stability required for the demanding discipline. “I’m heart-broken my Olympic dream has come to an end in this way,” Peel wrote on Instagram. “I put everything into this campaign, and never imagined I wouldn’t make it to the start gate.”
The injury casts a shadow over Australia’s prospects in the newly-introduced mixed team aerials event, where Peel was slated to compete alongside Danielle Scott and Reilly Flanagan. The team is now seeking a replacement athlete to fill the void, according to reports.
Peel’s withdrawal is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Australian team. Snowboarder Cam Bolton was medically evacuated from Italy on Friday after suffering fractures to his neck and back during a training run. Teen freeskier Daisy Thomas is also sidelined after re-injuring her knee, while Misaki Vaughan was ruled out after failing a head injury assessment following a training accident earlier this week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Australia has a strong history in aerial skiing, having won five Winter Olympic medals in the event, including gold medals for Alisa Camplin-Warner and Lydia Lassila. Despite her numerous accolades – including three overall crystal globes recognizing her as the season’s best aerialist – an Olympic medal had remained elusive for Peel, a fact noted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Australian team’s medical staff explored every possible avenue to facilitate Peel’s participation, but the severity of the ACL rupture proved insurmountable. The decision to withdraw was made as official training commenced on the competition jump site, confirming Peel’s inability to safely compete.
The extent of the impact on the Australian team’s overall medal hopes remains to be seen, as officials continue to assess the situation and explore options for replacing the injured athletes. The team has invoked the late athlete replacement policy to attempt to mitigate the losses.
