A heart-broken Laura Peel has withdrawn from the Olympics, with Australia's two-time aerials world champion unable to recover from a serious knee injury.
Peel ruptured her ACL at a pre-Games training camp in Airolo, Switzerland, in early February but refused to give up hope of winning her first medal at her fourth Olympics.
Before the injury Peel had struck some impressive form, winning a recent World Cup event in Canada, and was considered a strong medal chance in Italy.
However, with official training on the competition jump site getting under way, she realised she wasn't up to competing and made the decision to withdraw.
"Two weeks ago I took a hit in training and ruptured my ACL, along with a couple of other things," the 36-year-old posted on social media.
"I have given absolutely everything to keep this Olympic dream alive, but ultimately my knee is not stable enough to fall 15m from the sky no matter how much my heart wants it.
"Coming into these Games I was feeling calm and ready knowing that there was nothing more I could have done to prepare for this moment, but it is not to be.
"Today this sport feels cruel but the people it has brought into my life will always mean more than any medal ever could (both would have been nice though)."
Newly crowned Olympic champion Cooper Woods was one of the athletes to respond, saying Peel was an inspiration to the Australian team.
"You are a true inspiration to all of us. So proud to know you. Wishing you a speedy recovery," the 25-year-old wrote.
Her withdrawal also puts a question mark on Australia's participation in the mixed team event for the first time, with Peel named to join Danielle Scott and Reilly Flanagan.
In 2022, Peel could only watch in envy as China's Xu Mengtao became Olympic champion, landing a jump the Australian had conquered many times while she had to settle for fifth after failing to stick her landing.
The timing of the injury is particularly cruel given the Canberra athlete has kept relatively injury-free in the high-risk sport, with ankle surgery 10 years ago her last major injury.
Peel is the fourth Australian forced out of the Olympics through injury, joining snowboarders Cam Bolton and Misaki Vaughan, as well as teen freeskier Daisy Thomas.
The Australian team is looking to bring in a replacement athlete for the aerials competition.
