Ski great Brignone’s first aim is to walk before thinking of next year’s Olympics

By Canadian Press on April 14, 2025.

MILAN (AP) — Italian skier Federica Brignone’s first aim is to walk again before she begins to even think of competing in next year’s home Olympics.

Brignone was discharged from the hospital only last Tuesday, five days after breaking multiple bones in her left leg and tearing her ACL in a giant slalom crash.

The injuries raised questions about 34-year-old Brignone’s chances of competing at the Olympics in 10 months. The World Cup overall champion was expected to be one of Italy’s stars in the Milan-Cortina Games.

“I don’t know. We’re not doctors and they don’t know,” Brignone said on Monday, when asked about when she was expecting to be able to put on her skis again. “Everything depends on how the physiotherapy goes … on how my body responds. But before four or five months it’s impossible and that’s if everything goes well.

“Step by step. First, I’m thinking about walking again, and then we’ll see about the rest.”

‘Useless to think negatively’

Brignone reiterated that her issues will become clearer when she has more tests 45 days after the operation.

Brignone was nevertheless smiling as she spoke at a media day organized by the Italian winter sports federation, appearing via video link ahead of her first physiotherapy session.

“I’m a super positive person. What happened to me isn’t nice but it happened and I can’t go back in time,” she said. “So it’s useless to think negatively. I’m just trying to think positively and get through it the best way possible.

“I want to work for small aims, small steps and I’ll try to give my utmost to get better as quick as possible and in the best way possible.”

Brignone also published an Instagram post on Monday of pictures of her with the overall crystal globe and ending with a photo of her injury, with a long line of stitches or staples running down her leg.

Last season was the best in Brignone’s career and the crash happened at the Italian championships in what was meant to be a celebratory final week of competition.

Brignone, also the giant slalom winner at the world championships in February, won 10 World Cups across three different disciplines (five giant slaloms, three super-Gs and two downhills) this season. At 34, she became the oldest woman to win a World Cup race.

Goggia gives Brignone hope

Her teammate, Sofia Goggia, who has had numerous injuries, got in touch with Brignone immediately after the incident.

“We spoke that very day she hurt herself,” Goggia said at the media day in Milan. “I called the federation’s doctor to ask about her and they were together at the hospital so he passed her to me.

“I then reiterated in a message that I would have wanted to be there, seeing unfortunately the experience I’ve had over the years.”

Goggia partially tore a cruciate ligament and suffered a “minor fracture” of a bone in her leg less than a month before the 2022 Beijing Olympics, yet she incredibly won silver in the downhill — four years after taking gold.

The 32-year-old also missed the start of last season after breaking two bones in her leg in February 2024. Goggia finished second in a downhill and won a super-G in her first two races back, in Beaver Creek in December.

“In my opinion her (Brignone’s) injury is very serious, but if she manages to heal well and put on skis in December she will have plenty of time to prepare for the Olympics in the best possible way,” Goggia said.

“Fifteen, 20 days (before Beaver Creek) were enough for me and moreover I was coming off many seasons in which I was injured. She, on the other hand, has had 34 years on skis without any really serious injuries and I think she will certainly have in her head the fight once she gets back.”

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press