Belle Brockhoff, a 32-year-old Australian snowboarder and three-time Winter Olympian, faced a harrowing incident on the slopes of Gudauri. During a World Cup event, Brockhoff tumbled at high speed, landing on her coccyx, necessitating an airlift to a hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia. Scans revealed a fracture of her L1 vertebrae, but fortunately, she sustained no neurological damage. Subsequently, she was evacuated to Greece for surgery to address her injuries.
Brockhoff made her Olympic debut at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi and has since been a strong representative for Australia, competing in PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022. Her performance peaked at the last Olympics when she secured a fourth-place finish in the women’s snowboard cross final. However, her journey has not been without its challenges. She was previously hospitalized due to a crash during the heats of the mixed snowboard cross team race in Beijing, where she received treatment for a sore neck.
Despite these setbacks, Brockhoff's career is marked by impressive achievements. She clinched the snowboard cross mixed teams world championship title alongside Jarryd Hughes in 2021 and has amassed 17 World Cup medals throughout her career. Her recent return to the World Cup circuit came after recovering from two surgeries on a compound fracture in her arm sustained last November.
Geoff Lipshut commented on her current situation:
“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.”
Lipshut also noted Brockhoff's resilience and support system:
“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.”