Australian snowboarder Cam Bolton was airlifted to Milan after breaking his neck in a training crash.
The 35-year-old, competing at his fourth Winter Olympics, fell during a snowboard cross training session on Monday in Livigno.
He initially walked away from the crash but woke up the next day with worsening pain in his neck. Scans later revealed two fractures, and Bolton was transported by helicopter from the mountain for further treatment.
Team chef de mission, Alisa Camplin, said Bolton was in good spirits despite the severity of the injury and had been joined by his wife.
“Cam wanted to make his teammates understood what was happening and that he was fine and doing well and being looked after well,” she said.
“He knows how seriously we’re taking the process of support around him and the communication has been really good. I’m proud of the level of care.”
Bolton took silver in the mixed team snowboard cross with Mia Clift at last year’s world championships in Engadin, Switzerland.
The Australian Olympic Committee said it had enacted the Late Athlete Replacement option, bringing Olympic debutant James Johnstone onto the team alongside Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes for the men’s snowboard cross qualifying on Thursday.
The injury is the fourth setback for Australia’s team at the Milano Cortina Games. Aerials medal favourite Laura Peel injured her knee at a pre-Olympic training camp, while young freeskier Daisy Thomas also hurt her knee in a fall and has withdrawn from slopestyle, though she remains hopeful of contesting big air.
Snowboard halfpipe rider Misaki Vaughan was ruled out of her Olympic debut after failing a head injury assessment following a training fall. Under team protocols, the 20-year-old cannot compete for at least seven days.
“Unfortunately with winter sport injuries happen along the way, in 53 athletes doing relatively high risk sports it’s not something that’s unusual I’m afraid to say,” Ms Camplin said.
“My heart breaks on their behalf – I know how much work goes into an Olympic dream.”
Bolton was Australia’s highest-placed men’s snowboard cross rider at the Beijing Games, finishing 13th. He also placed ninth in the inaugural mixed team event alongside Belle Brockhoff.
There was better news on the slopes for defending Olympic champion Jakara Anthony, who topped moguls qualifying in Livigno to extend her unbeaten Games run to five rounds of competition. The 27-year-old, who claimed Australia’s first women’s moguls gold in Beijing, said she was satisfied with her opening performance.
“My goal was just that I wanted to get through in qualification one so that I just have the chance to come out for finals tomorrow and I don’t need to worry about qualification two,” Anthony said. “So, yeah, happy.”
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