LIVIGNO: Six weeks after tearing her ACL, Australian skier Daisy Thomas’ courageous attempt to compete at Milano Cortina 2026 has taken a cruel twist after she was stretchered off the slopes following a crash at the bottom of the slopestyle course.
Thomas, 18, was expected to do a short final training session on Friday before starting her competition on Saturday. Wide World of Sports watched for several hours as she executed difficult tricks off the final jump of the course but minutes before the practice session was scheduled to end she appeared to miscue as she was landing and it was instantly clear that something had gone awry.
Thomas’ coach and other staff nearby rushed to her aid before calling for a stretcher to take her off the slopes.
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Thomas was taken for scans before announcing on Instagram that she was withdrawing from slopestyle but still hoped to compete in big air, which starts on day eight of competition, just over a week away.
The training crash injured the same knee that had threatened to rule her out of the Olympic Games when she tore her ACL.
Daisy Thomas. Getty
Thomas was one of several high profile winter athletes attempting to compete without an ACL at Milano Cortina, with American great Lindsey Vonn the most notable.
The Aussie young gun trained for four hours on Thursday and said afterwards that she held no fears for her knee after following a rigorous program to get back on the slopes. She competed in the Laax Open in Switzerland in January just 47 days after tearing her ACL.
“I did my ACL about a month-and-a-half ago, so I’m just skiing without an ACL at the minute,” Thomas said on Thursday, 24 hours before her Livigno training crash.
“I’m strong enough, I’m capable enough, and I’ve got my tricks back, so I’m able to do it and I don’t really notice it at all.
“The goal still remains the same — I’d love to get an Olympic medal.”
Watch the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now. Plus, every event live & on demand, every medal in 4K, and exclusive international coverage on Stan Sport.