Polish sled injured in Olympic track accident
Polish luge officials said a malfunction in the sliding track built for this winter’s Beijing Olympics caused the fall of one of its top athletes and a serious injury on Monday.
Mateusz Sochowicz fractured a kneecap in an accident at the Yanqing track in China, the Polish team said. He also had cuts and bruises, and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to come back this season.
Sochowicz was training and crashed into a barrier that should have been opened when a sled is on the track, according to a statement from the Polish Luge Sports Association.
It is a safety requirement on all trails that before a sled is given the green light to start a race, staff have ensured that the entire chute is clear of any obstructions. It was not known on Monday what had caused the Sochowicz barrier.
“I’m alive and well,” wrote on Facebook Sochowicz, who finished 20th overall at the World Cup last season. “Thank you all for your great support.”
Sochowicz said he would have more to say about the crash on Tuesday. The International Luge Federation called it a “training accident” and still planned to continue training sessions at the Yanqing track on Tuesday.
It is unlikely that even if Sochowicz had seen the barrier he would have had enough time to react and somehow avoid the crash.
Skeleton and bobsleigh athletes from all over the world spent a few weeks on the track last month, almost all seeing the facility for the first time. The luge athletes arrived in China last week for a few weeks of training, and will open their World Cup season there later this month.
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