BEIJING, China — U.S. alpine skier Nina O'Brien on Tuesday thanked everyone who took care of her, especially those who rushed to her side after her crash in the giant slalom, and said she was "heartbroken, but also feeling so much love."
O'Brien, who trains in Vail, posted the update, along with a photo of her in a hospital bed, on her Instagram page Tuesday. She broke her left leg in multiple locations in the crash, according to U.S. Ski and Snowboard.
She was sixth after the first run of the Winter Olympics giant slalom event. She hit a gate and crashed in the final turn of her second run. A U.S. Ski Team spokesperson said shortly after that O'Brien was "alert and responsive" as she was taken away on a sled.
"I keep replaying it in my head, wishing I'd skied those last few gates differently," she said on Instagram. "But here we are."
O'Brien had surgery to stabilize her tibia, which she said was an open fracture through her leg, and that she will return to the United States to continue treatment for her injuries.
The U.S. Ski Team said O'Brien suffered a compound fracture of her left tibia and fibula.
"For now I'm in great hands," she said. "I want to say thank you to everyone who's taken care of me, especially those who rushed to me in the finish and my doctors and nurses in Yanqing.
"I'm a little heartbroken, but also feeling so much love. Thank you to everyone who's reached out. My phone is flooded with messages, and waking up to your words means more than you know.
"The good news is that today is a new day – and I get to cheer on my teammates. Good luck to everyone competing and enjoy it," she said.
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