What happened to snowboarder Liu Jiayu during the Olympic qualifiers?

Liu Jiayu experienced a severe fall, known as a 'scorpion' wreck, during an Olympic qualifying run, which briefly suspended the competition.

Did Liu Jiayu sustain serious injuries from her fall?

Although the fall was serious and required immediate medical attention, Liu Jiayu avoided major spinal injuries.

What is a 'scorpion' in snowboarding?

A 'scorpion' is a type of dangerous crash in snowboarding where a rider's legs and board snap over their back after falling.

Home / Sports / Snowboarder's Scary Fall Halts Olympic Qualifiers

Snowboarder's Scary Fall Halts Olympic Qualifiers

12 Feb

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Summary

Chinese snowboarder Liu Jiayu experienced a severe fall during Olympic qualifying.
The crash, a 'scorpion' wreck, briefly suspended competition and required an emergency sled.
Liu avoided major spinal injury despite the frightening on-snow incident.

Snowboarder's Scary Fall Halts Olympic Qualifiers

Chinese snowboarder Liu Jiayu experienced a significant fall during a qualifying run for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The incident occurred Wednesday, causing competition to be temporarily halted as medical personnel attended to the athlete. Liu's snowboard reportedly caught the toe edge, leading to a severe impact with the halfpipe, a maneuver in snowboarding known as a "scorpion."

Emergency services promptly used a sled to transport the 33-year-old athlete for evaluation. Initial reports indicated that Liu managed to avoid serious spinal injuries, though she maintained consciousness after the dramatic crash. She was attempting a 900-degree spin during her second and final qualifying run when the accident happened.

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