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alpine ski star Mikaela Shiffrin came close to death

Editorial with AFP
01/12/2024 at 4:12 p.m.

Victim of a terrible fall during the giant World Cup in Killington (Vermont, United States), Mikaela Shiffrin suffers from a “severe muscle injury” and a “deep” wound.

It was one of the sad sporting images of the weekend: Mikaela Shiffrin, then on the verge of offering herself a 100th World Cup victory on Saturday after winning the first round, made a mistake in the second which left her dragged to the ground, head forward. She then crashed into two doors and was thrown into the safety nets.

After remaining on the ground for several seconds, Shiffrin went down the track lying on a stretcher because she “was in shock, completely unable to move and feared trauma to the internal organs,” Courtney Harkins, director of the communication of US Ski. director of communications of US Ski.

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The 29-year-old woman suffers from a “severe muscle injury” and a “deep” wound on the right side of the abdomen. “She didn’t have any stitches. We cannot suture the wound because it is too deep and there is a risk of infection,” said the same source.

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During medical examinations carried out after Shiffrin's fall, no ligament damage was noted and the bones and internal organs appeared to be in good condition.

Holder of the absolute record for victories

The double Olympic champion, seven-time world champion and five-time winner of the general classification, hoped to be able to encourage her partners from the side of the track on Sunday during the second race of the weekend. But “she can't walk very well at the moment” and must therefore give up going to the site.

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The length of his recovery remains to be determined, US Ski said.

Holder of the absolute record for victories in the World Cup since the start of 2023, ahead of the Swede Ingemar Stenmark (86), Shiffrin was aiming for the symbolic barrier of 100 successes on Saturday after having already won twice in three races this season.

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