Emily Fischnaller returns to Olympic competition this week in Milano-Cortina, seven years after a devastating crash left her with a broken neck and back at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
The US luger lost control on her fourth run in South Korea when her sled lost contact with the ice on the ninth curve. She slammed into the track at high speed, fracturing her neck, back, and pinky finger. Fischnaller initially told reporters she felt fine, but tests subsequently revealed the severity of her injuries.
Despite the physical and psychological trauma, Fischnaller refused to quit. She spent months working with a psychologist to overcome fears that gripped her on the track. Eight months after the crash, she stepped back onto the ice for the first time — an experience she described as terrifying.
“That crash hit me from all angles,” she later said. “When you go through something like that, you lose parts of yourself. I was afraid of going through something like that again, afraid because I didn’t know, physically, what my body was going to do.”
Emily Fischnaller’s perseverance paid off. She won bronze at the 2019 World Championships, less than a year after the crash. She went on to compete at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and earned another world bronze in 2024.
However, the 32-year-old does deal with chronic pain, modifying her training routines to manage neck fatigue and muscle spasms. X-rays show permanent changes to her vertebrae.
Fischnaller now lives in Italy with her husband, Italian Olympic luger Dominik Fischnaller, who won bronze in Sunday’s men’s singles event. She ranks 14th globally heading into this week’s singles competition.
The luger also founded Champions 4 Change, a nonprofit connecting Olympic and Paralympic athletes with disabled individuals. While she acknowledges her journey inspires others, Fischnaller remains focused on one goal: winning an Olympic medal.
How to watch US luger Emily Fischnaller at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Fischnaller is currently competing in the women’s singles luge, with the sport’s medal event kicking off Tuesday at 12:34 PM ET, live Peacock.
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