Japanese Olympic snowboarding champion Ayumu Hirano fears for his Olympic participation after a fall at the Laax Open on Saturday.
22.01.2026, 10:01
22.01.2026, 14:17
SDA
According to the Japanese Ski Association, Hirano injured his face in the fall. He suffered several fractures and bruises. Despite the injuries, the 27-year-old wants to be fit again in time for the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina (February 6 to 22).
The snowboarder with the distinctive dreadlocks, who beat legend Shaun White to win gold at the 2022 Games in Beijing, crashed at the halfpipe final in Laax on Saturday. He hit his head hard and left the competition venue with a bloody nose and a cut on his lip.
The halfpipe competition at the Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, in which Hirano is one of the favorites, is scheduled for February 11. Hirano won silver at both the 2014 and 2018 Olympic Games and also competed in skateboarding at the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo.
