Australian Freestyle Skiing Star Laura Peel Faces Uncertain Future After Mysterious Knee Injury at Winter Olympics Camp

In the heart of Switzerland’s alpine chill, a shadow looms over Australian freestyle skiing as Laura Peel, a titan among aerialists, stumbles with a knee injury — an unwelcome twist just steps away from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. At 36, Peel isn’t just any contender; she’s a two-time world champion with a hunger that’s never quite been sated by the elusive Olympic medal. I can’t help but feel the tension — here’s an athlete on the brink of a fourth Olympic dance, her dreams caught in the balance as scans and treatments dictate the next moves. The clock’s ticking toward February 17th, when qualification kicks off, and everyone’s pulse quickens. Will this seasoned star fly high once again or is fate scripting a different tale? Dive deeper into this unfolding story and the Winter Games that hang on the edge of uncertainty.LEARN MORE

AIROLO, Switzerland (AP) — Australian freestyle skier Laura Peel hurt her knee in a training camp ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, raising doubts about her participation in a fourth Games.

The 36-year-old Peel is a two-time world champion and one of the favorites to win the women’s aerials.

She sustained the injury in Switzerland on Monday, the Australian team said in a statement, and had a scan at a sports specialist clinic.

“She has returned to the training camp in Airolo, Switzerland where she’ll be treated by the team physio to determine next steps,” the team said Tuesday.

The women’s aerials qualification starts on Feb. 17.

Peel has never won an Olympic medal. She was one of the favorites in aerials in Beijing in 2022 but finished in fifth place, and was also at Pyeongchang in 2018 and Sochi in 2014.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics