Team Canada freestyle skier Elena Gaskell says she is "absolutely devastated" after getting injured the day before the big air competition.
The athlete announced on Instagram that on her last training day, she tore her ACL and meniscus and has a bone bruise on her femur — forcing her to pull out from her first-ever Olympic event.
The 21-year-old from Vernon, B.C., was set to make her Olympic debut in the big air competition on Monday.
However, on Sunday she took to her Instagram story to let her fans know she wasn't going to be able to compete.
"I'm absolutely heartbroken [and] need some time to process this," said Gaskell in her Instagram story on Sunday.
She posted a follow-up to Instagram on Monday, explaining that she had incurred an injury to her knee on her final day of training before the event.
Before making it to Beijing with Team Canada, Gaskell was a "double gold medallist in slopestyle and big air for Team B.C. at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George," says the Team Canada website.
When she found out that she was going to be at the Olympics, she was thrilled and posted to Instagram.
"This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember and can hardly believe it is coming true," she said in her post announcing her attendance.
Now, she is left unable to compete due to her injuries.
"I am absolutely devastated. I do not feel okay at all. I feel like I have worked so hard to be here. I moved towns, to make sure I could train more and stay strong," she said in her most recent post.
But even after all of this, she remains positive and keeps her head up for the future.
"I know this is going to be the hardest part and it will get better. I will come back and be stronger and work harder. But right now that feels so far away," she added.
She posted a photo of her injured knee to her Instagram story on Monday, showing the swelling.
As of Monday, Gaskell is still scheduled to compete in slopestyle on February 13 and the halfpipe on February 17.
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