Norwegian skiing star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde sustained a torn Achilles tendon following a fall while training for the downhill season in Chile, as announced by the Norwegian Ski Association on Thursday. The association mentioned that Kilde is en route to Innsbruck, his Austrian base, for further evaluation by his medical team after the incident occurred on Wednesday. Updates on his condition and next steps will be provided once more information is available.
Kilde was in the process of recovering from a serious accident in January 2024, where he suffered injuries including a severe cut and nerve damage in his right calf and two torn ligaments in his shoulder during a crash at the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland. Despite making a return to the World Cup last season, Kilde decided to skip the Milan Cortina Olympics in February, citing performance concerns with his mind and body.
Having secured silver in the combined event and bronze in super-G at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, Kilde was also the reigning overall World Cup champion in 2020. The upcoming World Cup season is set to kick off with giant slalom races for both men and women on the Rettenbach glacier in Söelden, Austria, scheduled for October 24-25.