Norway's Kilde withdraws from Milan-Cortina 2026 after comeback from serious injury

BORMIO, Italy, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Norway's Olympic alpine skiing medalist Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will not compete in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games.

The 33-year-old announced the decision on Tuesdsay after competing in last weekend's men's World Cup race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, saying the decision was taken together with his team.

"I have done everything I possibly could to be ready for the Olympics, but my mind and body are not performing the way I need them to," Kilde said, describing the decision as "extremely hard" after months of work with his family, medical staff and the Norwegian national team.

Kilde suffered a major crash during a World Cup downhill race in Switzerland's Wengen in January 2024, sustaining severe injuries that required multiple surgeries and a lengthy rehabilitation process. He returned to international competition in December 2025.

"The tremendous effort Aleksander has put into getting back on skis impresses all of us," said Claus Johan Ryste, sports director of the Norwegian alpine ski team. "The fact that he has been competing in the World Cup this season is a major achievement in itself. We will continue to support him and maintain the positive progress going forward."

Kilde, a former overall World Cup race winner and Beijing 2022 medalist, said he will now focus on preparations for next season. ■