Two-time Olympic gold medalist Michelle Gisin underwent back surgery after a serious crash during a practice session for a World Cup downhill event in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Gisin, a member of the Swiss women’s alpine ski team, became the third current Olympic champion from Switzerland to crash during training within the past month, following Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter.
The 32-year-old skier collided with safety fences at a speed exceeding 110 kilometers per hour in St. Moritz. Despite sustaining injuries to her right wrist and left knee, Gisin maintained normal arm and leg movement. She was airlifted to Zurich for surgery and is reported to be in stable condition.
During the practice run, Gisin’s ski appeared to catch an edge before she lost control, crashing through safety nets before coming to a stop. Television footage showed Gisin conscious but with facial scratches and cuts as medical personnel attended to her.
Gisin, a double gold medalist in alpine combined at the previous two Winter Olympics, currently serves as the veteran leader of the Swiss women’s speed team due to injuries affecting her fellow 2022 Beijing Olympic champions. Gut-Behrami suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament tear in her left knee during a crash at Copper Mountain, while Suter is recovering from calf, knee, and foot injuries sustained in a prior training accident at St. Moritz.
The Swiss ski team boasts seven career Olympic medals, with Suter winning the downhill event and Gut-Behrami clinching the super-G title at the recent Winter Games in China. Gisin, on the other hand, secured bronze and the individual combined title.
Gisin’s crash occurred while American ski sensation Lindsey Vonn was already on the course for her practice run. Vonn paused her run to allow medical assistance for Gisin before continuing later. Vonn had been the fastest in the initial practice session the day before.
The upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics, starting on February 6, will kick off with the women’s alpine skiing competition at the historic Cortina d’Ampezzo hill.