Slovak skier Petra Vlhová has been cleared by doctors for a full skiing workload and wants to fight for a place at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The final decision on whether she will defend her slalom gold medal will be made 48 hours before the start of the event. The women’s slalom is scheduled for 18 February.
After a long recovery following knee surgery, Vlhová returned to the slopes in October.
She was injured at a home giant slalom race in Jasná on 20 January 2024, when she fell and had to undergo surgery. As her condition did not improve sufficiently after rehabilitation to allow a return to competition, she underwent a second medical procedure.
Vlhová has recorded 31 World Cup victories, including 22 in slalom, six in giant slalom and three in parallel slalom. She has finished on the podium 73 times and has won three discipline crystal globes (2020 slalom and parallel slalom, and 2022 slalom). She is also a four-time winner of Slovakia’s Athlete of the Year award.
Source: TASR
