FILE -Petra Vlhova, of Slovakia celebrates during the medal ceremony after winning the gold medal in the women’s slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics, , Feb. 9, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
Petra Vlhova hopes to defend Olympic slalom gold after knee injury but accepts she may not make it
Petra Vlhova is confident that she will make it back from a serious knee injury in time to defend her slalom gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
FILE -Petra Vlhova, of Slovakia celebrates during the medal ceremony after winning the gold medal in the women’s slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics, , Feb. 9, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
Petra Vlhova is confident that she will make it back from a serious knee injury in time to defend her slalom gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
But the standout Slovakian skier still hasn鈥檛 returned to on-snow training with the start of the World Cup season six weeks away.
鈥淚 would like to be there. But we have to wait, stay positive, and believe that everything will go according to plan,鈥 Vlhova said this week of her status for the Winter Games. 鈥淚 believe I will be at the start. But for now, that鈥檚 written in the stars. I鈥檓 looking at it realistically: We have to be honest, it could also happen that the knee won鈥檛 respond well.鈥
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The 30-year-old Vlhova, who has been biggest rival, had her right ACL and meniscus operated on in Jan. 2024 after . She hasn鈥檛 raced since the accident, having announced late last year that she had a setback due to cartilage damage that required 鈥渇urther specialized care.鈥
鈥淓verything is going according to plan. I feel good, and we are making progress,鈥 Vlhova said at the inauguration of her new museum in Drahovce, Slovakia. 鈥淚鈥檓 fully training in order to get back in shape and balance out the difference between my injured and healthy leg. Of course, regaining the muscles in the injured leg is really demanding. All we need is time.”
Vlhova’s comments were reported by Slovakian media and confirmed to The Associated Press by her spokeswoman, Lucia Antolova, on Friday.
鈥淚鈥檓 fully preparing for my return. I know others are already training on snow, but I don鈥檛 feel anything about that. I鈥檓 completely fine, focused only on myself,鈥 Vlhova added. 鈥淚鈥檓 dealing with my own preparation and making sure I can return to top-level skiing as soon as possible. I just have to wait until I can get back on skis. Some things simply can鈥檛 be rushed.鈥
The opening women鈥檚 race of the World Cup season will be held in S枚lden, Austria, on Oct. 25 and most other top racers have been preparing on snow in South America or New Zealand.
The women鈥檚 slalom at the 2026 Olympics 鈥 the last skiing race on the schedule 鈥 is scheduled for Feb. 18 in Cortina d鈥橝mpezzo.
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Vlhova won the slalom at the 2022 Beijing Olympics for Slovakia鈥檚 first ever Olympic medal in Alpine skiing. The season before, she claimed the overall World Cup title.
Mauro Pini, who has been Vlhova鈥檚 personal coach, announced in March that he was leaving her team. She has not announced a new coach yet.
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