Australian Snowboarder Cam Bolton Suffers Devastating Neck Injury in Winter Olympics Training
In a severe blow to Australia's Winter Olympic aspirations, veteran snowboarder Cam Bolton has broken his neck during a training crash in Livigno. The 35-year-old athlete, competing at his fourth Winter Games, fell during a snowboard cross training session on Monday, initially walking away from the incident but waking the following day with intensifying neck pain.
Emergency Medical Response and Team Support
Medical scans subsequently revealed two fractures in Bolton's neck, prompting an immediate helicopter evacuation from the mountain to a Milan hospital for specialized treatment. Team chef de mission Alisa Camplin confirmed Bolton remained in good spirits despite the serious nature of his injuries, with his wife joining him at the medical facility.
"Cam wanted his teammates to understand he was being well cared for and that he was doing fine under the circumstances," Camplin stated. "We are taking his support and recovery process extremely seriously, and communication has been excellent throughout this challenging situation."
Olympic Replacement and Team Setbacks
The Australian Olympic Committee has activated its Late Athlete Replacement protocol, bringing Olympic debutant James Johnstone onto the team alongside Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes for Thursday's men's snowboard cross qualifying event. Bolton's injury represents the fourth significant setback for the Australian team at the Milano Cortina Games.
- Aerials medal favourite Laura Peel injured her knee during pre-Olympic training
- Young freeskier Daisy Thomas hurt her knee in a fall, withdrawing from slopestyle
- Snowboard halfpipe rider Misaki Vaughan was ruled out after failing a head injury assessment
"Unfortunately, injuries are an inherent risk in winter sports," Camplin acknowledged. "With 53 athletes participating in relatively high-risk disciplines, such incidents are not entirely unexpected, though my heart breaks for each affected competitor who has dedicated years to their Olympic dream."
Bolton's Impressive Career and Team Achievements
Bolton, Australia's highest-placed men's snowboard cross rider at the Beijing Games with a 13th-place finish, earned silver in the mixed team snowboard cross alongside Mia Clift at last year's world championships in Engadin, Switzerland. He also placed ninth in the inaugural mixed team event with Belle Brockhoff, demonstrating his consistent performance at elite international competitions.
Positive News for Australian Team
Amid the injury concerns, defending Olympic champion Jakara Anthony provided encouraging news by topping moguls qualifying in Livigno, extending her unbeaten Games run to five consecutive competition rounds. The 27-year-old, who secured Australia's first women's moguls gold medal in Beijing, expressed satisfaction with her opening performance.
"My primary objective was simply to advance through the initial qualification round," Anthony explained. "This ensures I can focus entirely on tomorrow's finals without worrying about a second qualification attempt. I'm certainly pleased with how things progressed today."
The Australian team continues to navigate these challenging circumstances as competition intensifies at the Winter Olympics, balancing athlete welfare with competitive aspirations in the demanding world of elite winter sports.
