Alpine skiing legend Marcel Hirscher has decided to abandon his comeback bid for the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics. Hirscher, aged 36, made a return last season after a five-year retirement to compete for the Netherlands on the World Cup circuit. Unfortunately, his plans were derailed after just three races when he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.
The eight-time World Cup overall champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist had set his sights on qualifying for the Winter Games in Italy, which are scheduled to commence on February 6. However, Hirscher acknowledged in a video message shared on social media that his current performance level is not up to par with the World Cup standards due to a calf injury that required a two-week break during the holidays. He expressed regret over the situation, stating that he lacks the necessary speed and confidence to compete at the desired level.
Despite the setback, Hirscher assured his supporters that he hopes to return to racing next season. Throughout his career, he participated in three Olympic Games between 2010 and 2018, securing victories in giant slalom and alpine combined events, along with a silver medal in slalom. Notably, the accomplished skier fell short of winning an Olympic gold in slalom, despite his remarkable record of 67 career wins in World Cup races, placing him second on the all-time men’s list behind Ingemar Stenmark.