Petra Vlhova, the Olympic slalom champion, is facing an unexpected hurdle in her comeback following knee surgery. Vlhova, a prominent competitor to Mikaela Shiffrin, underwent an operation on her right ACL and meniscus in January after suffering an injury at her home event in Slovakia.
According to a statement released by her team, Vlhova is still feeling discomfort in her knee, which prevents her from engaging in rigorous skiing activities. Further medical assessments indicate that she has experienced cartilage damage, necessitating additional specialized treatment.
Her coach, Mauro Pini, expressed concern regarding Vlhova’s situation, stating that not everything is progressing as anticipated. “Petra is not having the happiest time in this context,” he noted. However, he emphasized the unity and commitment of the team to support her journey back to the competitive skiing she loves. Pini mentioned that updates regarding her capacity to endure full training would likely be available by the end of December.
At this point, it remains uncertain whether Vlhova will be ready to compete in the world championships set to take place in Saalbach, Austria, in February.
In a related development, Mikaela Shiffrin is also sidelined due to injury from a recent fall at her home event in Killington, Vermont, two weeks ago. The American skier suffered notable bruising and a significant puncture wound to her hip, resulting in an indefinite break from competition.
Vlhova, who secured a gold medal in slalom at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, faces an uphill battle in her recovery as she strives to return to the slopes.
