Australian Olympic campaign rocked: Veteran suffers broken neck in crash
Australian snowboarder Cam Bolton has been airlifted to hospital with a broken neck following a training crash at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
The 35-year-old fell during a snowboard cross session on Monday in Livigno.
Remarkably, the four-time Olympian initially walked away from the accident unassisted.
However, he awoke the following morning suffering from intensifying pain.
Medical scans subsequently revealed two fractures in his neck.
He was immediately transported by helicopter to Milan for specialist treatment.
Spirits remain high despite trauma
Chef de mission Alisa Camplin confirmed the athlete has been joined by his wife and is coping well.
“Cam wanted to make his teammates understood what was happening and that he was fine and doing well and being looked after well,” Camplin 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.”
The veteran boarder had arrived in Italy with high expectations.
He secured a silver medal in the mixed team event at last year’s World Championships in Switzerland.
Bolton was also the nation’s highest-placed male rider in this discipline at the Beijing Games, finishing 13th.
Replacement confirmed as list of casualties grows
The Australian Olympic Committee has enacted the Late Athlete Replacement option.
Olympic debutant James Johnstone will now join Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes for Thursday’s qualifying.
This incident marks a fourth significant setback for the Australian contingent at the Milano Cortina Games.
Aerials medal hope Laura Peel recently suffered a knee injury at a pre-Olympic camp.
Young freeskier Daisy Thomas has also withdrawn from slopestyle competition following a knee problem.
Elsewhere, halfpipe talent Misaki Vaughan has been ruled out of her debut due to concussion protocols.
“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,” Camplin added.
“My heart breaks on their behalf – I know how much work goes into an Olympic dream.”
Defending champion offers glimmer of hope
Amidst the injury crisis, there was positive news on the slopes for Jakara Anthony.
The defending moguls champion topped her qualifying round in Livigno.
It extends her unbeaten run at the Games to five rounds of competition.
“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.