Downhill skier Tereza Nova woken from medical coma 4 weeks after crash in training

By Canadian Press on February 20, 2025.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Downhill skier Tereza Nova has been woken from a medical coma nearly four weeks after crashing in training for a World Cup race, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation said on Thursday.

“After a severe brain injury, she was gradually awakened from artificial sleep and will be transported from the trauma clinic in Germany back to the Czech Republic today,” the FIS said in an update from the Czech team.

The 27-year-old Nova crashed on Jan. 24 at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, in a training run for a downhill race the next day.

It was the latest serious head injury in a season when one of the top men’s downhill racers, Cyprien Sarrazin, underwent surgery after crashing at Bormio, Italy, and Italian prospect Matilde Lorenzi died from injuries suffered in training.

Nova had surgery to reduce brain swelling and also had a fracture in an eye socket.

“After the brain swelling subsided and the bleeding visibly subsided, the patient was stable enough for us to slowly wake her up again after consulting with our neurosurgery colleagues,” said Markus Gruber, who helped treat Nova at a clinic near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Her rehabilitation will now be overseen by doctors in the Czech Republic.

Nova started 13 World Cup races in her career without a top-30 placing. She competed in four events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics with a best result of 14th in Alpine combined.

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/alpine-skiing

The Associated Press

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