Australia’s Medal Dream Shattered as Laura Peel Ruled Out of Winter Olympics
Australia’s Winter Olympic medal hopes have suffered a devastating blow and it happened before the competition even began.
One of the nation’s greatest aerial skiers, Laura Peel, has been ruled out of the 2026 Winter Olympics after a serious knee injury in training. The two-time world champion and multiple World Cup winner was preparing for what many believed could be her defining Olympic moment. Instead, her campaign has ended on the sidelines.
Peel ruptured the ACL in her right knee during a pre-Games training camp in Switzerland. The injury means she will not even make it to the start gate at the Milano Cortina Games. For an athlete who has spent years chasing Olympic glory, this is a brutal twist.
Australia has a proud history in Olympic aerial skiing. It is the country’s most successful Winter Olympic discipline, delivering five medals over the years. Names like Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila set the standard and Peel was widely expected to add her own chapter to that story. She had the credentials. Fifteen World Cup victories. Two world titles. Three overall crystal globes. Her signature triple somersaults were among the most difficult jumps in the world.
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But the one achievement missing from her remarkable career is Olympic gold.
At the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, Peel entered as a favorite but finished fifth after failing to land cleanly in challenging conditions. That disappointment was meant to fuel redemption in 2026. In fact, last season she dominated the World Cup circuit, winning five gold medals and proving she still had the technical edge.
Now, at 36, there are serious questions about whether she will get another Olympic opportunity.
For Australia, this is more than just the loss of a star athlete. It reshapes the medal landscape. The aerials team will now look to experienced campaigners and young debutants to carry the pressure. A late replacement is expected under Olympic policy, but replacing Peel’s experience and scoring potential is another matter entirely.
This moment is also a reminder of how unforgiving elite sport can be. Years of preparation can unravel in seconds. One training run. One misstep. And an Olympic dream disappears.
Australia’s Winter Olympic campaign continues, but the absence of Laura Peel will be felt deeply, both on the slopes and at home.
Stay with us for continuing coverage of the Winter Games, the medal race and the athletes whose stories are still unfolding on the world stage.
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