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Czech alpine skier Tereza Nova remains in a medically induced coma following a brutal crash during a World Cup downhill training run in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The 26-year-old suffered severe head trauma in the accident last weekend and underwent emergency surgery to reduce brain swelling.
According to Czech media outlet iSport, Nova’s condition is stable but remains critical, with doctors at the Murnau hospital keeping her in a coma as part of her recovery process. “Her condition has stabilized. She remains under medical supervision in an induced coma,” confirmed Jan Fiedler, sports director of the Czech Alpine ski federation.
The Czech ski federation has stated that Nova will stay in the medically induced coma for as long as necessary. The accident has shaken the skiing community, with fellow athletes sending their support. Czech Olympic champion Ester Ledecká opted out of Sunday’s World Cup downhill race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which was ultimately won by Italy’s Federica Brignone.
“We are all thinking of Tereza and wish her a speedy recovery and lots of strength,” a federation spokesperson told Czech newspaper Sport.
Nova’s crash is the latest in a series of harrowing incidents that have rocked the alpine skiing circuit in recent weeks. Austrian skier Nina Ortlieb suffered a fractured leg after a dramatic wipeout in Sunday’s downhill, causing a 30-minute race delay while she received medical attention on the slope. Following surgery, Ortlieb shared on social media that her “nightmare had become reality” but expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from the skiing community.
Meanwhile, the men’s circuit has been no less brutal. During the storied Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel, Austria, multiple athletes were airlifted from the course after terrifying crashes, including France’s Alexis Pinturault and Florian Loriot, as well as Italian veteran Dominik Paris. Just weeks earlier, defending Kitzbühel downhill champion Cyprien Sarrazin of France had his season cut short following surgery for internal head bleeding sustained in a crash at Bormio on December 27.
Alpine skiing remains one of the most thrilling and dangerous winter sports, with competitors pushing the limits of speed and skill on the world’s most punishing courses. For now, the focus remains on Nova’s recovery, as the ski community rallies behind her in the hope of seeing her back on her feet—and one day, back on the slopes.