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Just days before he was set to compete in his fourth Winter Olympics, Australian snowboarder Cam Bolton suffered a serious injury during a training session in Livigno, Italy.
Bolton, a snowboard-cross competitor, fell "heavily" on Monday and was transferred to a Milan hospital on Tuesday, per the Australian Broadcasting Company. His pain levels had "worsened" after the crash, and upon scans, it was revealed that Bolton had two neck fractures.
After initially walking away from his training crash, Bolton is set to miss the 2026 Winter Olympics with a scary injury.
Here's the latest on Bolton after his breaking his neck in two areas.
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Australian snowboarder crash
The Australian Broadcasting Company and other outlets reported Tuesday that Bolton had been preparing for the snowboard-cross competition in Italy on Monday when he fell "heavily." However, it wasn't until Tuesday, once his "pain levels worsened," that Bolton was taken to a hospital in Milan — The Independent reported that he was airlifted to the hospital.
Bolton "initially walked away from the crash," but then woke up with further pain in his neck on Tuesday, according to The Independent.
A CT scan showed he had two neck fractures. Alisa Camplin-Warner, Australia's Chef de Mission for the 2026 Winter Olympics, said in a statement that Bolton was “doing well” as he recovered in the hospital.
"Cam wanted to make his teammates understood what was happening and that he was fine and doing well and being looked after well,” Camplin-Warner said, per The Independent. "He knows how seriously we’re taking the process of support around him and the communication has been really good. I’m proud of the level of care.”
According to NBC News, as of Feb. 11, the Australian Olympic Committee said that Bolton was resting in a hotel in Milan.
“Cam is in a stable condition and remains in good spirits,” the AOC said in a statement to NBC News. “The Australian Olympic medical team is working with local doctors and neuro specialists in Australia to determine next steps for further assessment and treatment.”
Bolton was supposed to compete in the men's seeding round of the snowboard cross competition on Thursday, Feb. 12. However, he has now reportedly been replaced by James Johnstone after his neck fractures.
Who is Cam Bolton?
Cameron "Cam" Bolton is a 35-year-old Australian snowboarder. He has appeared in three past Winter Olympics (2014, 2018, 2022), making his debut in 2014. He competes in the men's snowboard-cross and snowboard mixed team cross events.
In March 2025, he won Australia’s first World Cup gold in the mixed team snowboard cross in Erzurum, and at the 2025 World Championships, he won a silver alongside Mia Clift in the mixed team snowboard cross. Other highlights for Bolton include gold at the 2019 World Cup in Germany.
According to his Olympic Australia page, Bolton's past cross results at the Winter Olympics were 11th at Sochi 2014, 10th at PyeongChang 2018, and 13th at Beijing 2022.
Bolton was set to compete in the snowboard cross event and cross mixed team event in Milan, but his injury will prevent him from doing so.
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