A DOUBLE Olympic champion was rushed to hospital after having her arm ripped from its socket in a freak wave pool injury.
Anna Gasser, 33, is a two-time gold medallist in snowboarding and widely regarded as the best in the business.
5
5
5
Next year she will defend her crown at the Winter Olympics in Italy before retiring.
But Gasser’s attempt at a hat-trick of golds, having won at both the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games, has taken a huge hit after a freak accident.
The Austrian was enjoying some recreational surfing in an artificial wave pool last week when disaster struck.
Gasser fell off her board in Munich, Germany and suffered a painful shoulder dislocation.
She was rushed to hospital and also diagnosed with a labrum tear and biceps tendon injury.
Gasser was forced to go under the knife, with the surgery deemed a success.
But she now faces a lengthy spell out injured.
And once Gasser recovers, she will then need to spend time strengthening her shoulder and arm before returning to full training.
She’s already been forced to abandon summer training plans in Australia.
But Gasser is taking things in her stride, telling fans: “Crazy how everything can change in a second.
5
5
“Had a freak accident surfing and dislocated my shoulder. Decided to fix it right away to be 100 per cent again for next season.
“Sad that my summer plans changed and that I’m forced to watch from the sidelines for now.
“But I’ll try to make the best out of it and come back strong.”
Gasser later added in a statement: “The examinations showed that the shoulder was briefly dislocated. The labrum and biceps tendon were affected.
“The surgery restored the necessary stability in the shoulder. Even though it isn’t easy for me, I will have to be patient for now.
“After that, I will concentrate on training and compete in selected World Cup competitions so that I can travel to the Olympic games in Italy optimally prepared.”
