Australian Olympic snowboarder Bell Brockhoff has undergone surgery in Greece after sustaining a serious back injury at a competition on the weekend.
Brockhoff was competing at the Snowboard Cross World Cup in Georgia when she crashed at a high speed and landed on her coccyx in her final race on Saturday.
Belle Brockhoff competes at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.Credit: Getty
The three-time Olympian was airlifted from the course and taken to a hospital in Georgian capital Tbilisi, where it was revealed she had fractured the L1 vertebrae – the highest bone of the lower back, just above the ribcage – with no neurological damage.
The 32-year-old was then evacuated to Greece for surgery, where she was accompanied by a member of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia medical team, along with her partner.
“Currently our medical team are working with the medical emergency service personnel and the hospital in Greece to ensure that Belle receives the best care possible,” said Geoff Lipshut, the chief executive of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia.
“We will reassess options together with Belle following surgery over the next 48 hours. Belle is in good spirits, and I am very pleased that her partner has been able to fly to Greece to support her during this time.”
More to come.
