Advertisement

Peace and wellbeing key to my recovery, says alpine skier Gut

Switzerland's Lara Gut competes in the downhill race of the women's Alpine Combined event at the 2017 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in St. Moritz in February 2017

Swiss alpine skiing star Lara Gut says she found balance and made peace with herself during the latest lengthy lay off in her injury-blighted career. The 26-year-old was the poster girl for the 2017 world championships, but she badly damaged knee ligaments in Saint-Moritz in February as her only reward was a bronze in the super-G. "I learned the importance of being at peace with oneself during those six months," she told a press conference on Tuesday after starting training in early September. "It's always been my greatest challenge finding a balance between what I have to do and what is good for me," said Gut, who missed the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver after a dislocated hip. If fit, all rounder Gut would be a favourite to finally clinch a gold medal at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games in February. "This winter I'll take more breaks and find more space for myself," promised Gut, who admitted that she was unhappy before her latest injury. "I did everything I could as an athlete, but not enough for me as a person." Gut though will skip the season-opening giant slalom on October 28 at Soelden, an event she won last year, delaying her return until late November when the World Cup heads to North America. "Soelden is special. Normally I ski already in July. I'm not in a hurry, I want to come back strong," said Gut, who will look to wrest back her title from Amercian sensation Mikaela Shiffrin.