She is South Tyrol’s and Italy’s best ski jumper: Lara Malsiner.

Olympic exit looms: South Tyrolean fears for her big dream

In exactly six months, the Winter Olympics will take place here. But one South Tyrolean hopeful is now worried about her big dream.

August 10, 2025

From: det

She is Italy's best ski jumper and is coming off a very strong season. In short: Lara Malsiner would be a great hope for South Tyrol's Olympic Games. But now there's bitter news from the 25-year-old Val Gardena native: She suffered a serious knee injury during a training jump. "I suspect the cruciate ligament is torn," a dejected Malsiner told SportNews.

What happened? The ski jumpers are currently in Courchevel, France, where the Summer Grand Prix is taking place. On Friday, the women's free jump was a fateful event. "My jump was actually good, but when I landed, my knee buckled inward. It hurt quite a bit," said Malsiner.

“I don’t have a good feeling.” Lara Malsiner

Subsequent examinations confirmed the suspicion that the cruciate ligament was torn. However, because an MRI was not available, an official diagnosis is still pending. "On Monday, I'll have a thorough examination at the sports clinic in Ortisei. But honestly, I don't have a good feeling," says Malsiner.

Strong season and good form

A cruciate ligament tear would be truly bad news, given that such an injury can result in a loss of approximately six months. It would likely mean a loss from the 2026 Olympic Games. "It's just bitter, because I had a good season and was in good shape now," says the Val Gardena native, who finished in the top 10 of the World Cup five times last winter and finished 16th in the final standings. Now, as in 2022, she faces Olympic elimination.