Elena Gaskell "absolutely devastated" after Games-ending knee injury

Canada's Elena Gaskell has been ruled out of Beijing 2022 after tearing her anterior cruciate knee ligament (ACL) and meniscus in training.

The freestyle skier was scheduled to compete in Big Air qualification on Monday (7 Feb) on what would have been her competitive Winter Olympic debut.

But a day earlier, she crashed heavily and suffered the injury - as well as a bruise on her femur - which kept her out of the qualifying runs.

Later on Monday, she disclosed that she would also be unable to take part in either the slopestyle or halfpipe events coming up.

In a post to social media showing her on crutches, she said: "I am absolutely devastated. I do not feel okay at all.

"I feel like I have worked so hard to be here. I moved towns, to make sure I could train more and stay strong. I have been doing everything I possibly can to make sure this wouldn't happen."

The 20-year-old vowed to return and insisted the experience would make her even more determined to succeed.

"I know this is going to be the hardest part and it will get better," she said. "I will come back and be stronger and work harder. But right now that feels so far away."

Further injury woe for Gaskell

Gaskell sustained similar injuries in 2020 when she partially tore her ACL and sustained a lateral miniscus tear.

Before she had even returned to the World Cup tour the following year, the marketing student from Vernon, British Columbia, broke her wrist while skiing in Calgary.

Gaskell had one World Cup podium this season, at Chur, Switzerland, in October which she followed up with fourth place at Steamboat, USA behind China's gold medal hopeful Ailing (Eileen) Gu.

There was better news for Team Canada with Megan Oldham leading the qualifiers for Tuesday's first Olympic Big Air freestyle skiing final.

With skiers dropping their worst of their three scores, Oldham - who was fourth at the 2021 Aspen World Championships - topped the scoresheets with 171.25, a quarter of a point ahead of France's Tess Ledeux.

Olivia Asselin made sure there would be two Canadians in the final with her tally of 147.75 good enough for 11th.

Gu went safely through in fifth but there was a surprise as medal fancy Kelly Sildaru of Estonia failed to qualify after finishing down in 17th.