Slovak skier Petra Vlhová (30) returned to the competitive carousel after more than two years since the injury she suffered on January 20, 2024 during the domestic giant slalom in Jasná. After the fall, she had to undergo knee surgery, subsequent rehabilitation did not improve her condition enough to allow her to race again. She thus underwent another operation. She finally confirmed her desire to return to the Olympic slopes in January of this year, when the doctors gave her the green light.
The winner of the big crystal globe from 2021 started twice in Cortina d’Ampezzo. First, together with compatriot Katarína Šrobová, she presented herself in a team combination, which consisted of downhill and slalom. However, the Slovak duo was not classified at the finish line after Vlhová did not finish her slalom section.
Later, Liptáčka also presented herself in her strongest discipline – classic slalom – where she ended up in the top twenty. Due to the difficult recovery after a severe knee injury in the case of Vlhová, it was not about defending gold from Beijing. She did not set herself similar goals and her priority was mainly to return to the slalom elite, which she summarized after the end of the Olympics in a post on .
She sent a message to her fans. “Even though I didn’t win a medal, the biggest victory for me is the last few weeks. The memories of a lifetime thanks to my decision to go to the Olympics and fight for what was literally impossible at the beginning of January. Thanks to all my closest people, I managed it and I am extremely proud of myself. It was a ride. Thank you, Cortina,” she confessed on the social network and added several shots from the scene. PHOTO can be found in the gallery!
The post received thousands of likes and there were also “hearts” from Slovak hockey players Marián Hossa and Šimon Nemec or her American rival, but friend at the same time Mikaely Shiffrin. A commenter left a comment under the photos F1 Shtevo Eisele and her colleague from the slopes – Slovinka Ana Bucik Jogan s German Lenou Dürr.
