Cassie Sharpe injury update: Canadian skier sledded off after crashing during Olympic freeski halfpipe qualifying

Few Winter Olympics events test the physical limits of athletes quite like freeski. Athletes twirl and whirl dozens of feet in the air before attempting to land gracefully on the frozen ground.

It's an imperfect science, one which, on occasion, can inflict pain on even the best skiers. During Thursday's freeski halfpipe qualifying run, Canadian star Cassie Sharpe fell victim to the event's risk.

The two-time Olympic medalist crashed as she attempted to land one of her signature tricks. Sharpe, who qualified for Saturday's final with her first jump, laid on the ground for 10 minutes before being escorted out off the venue via sled.

Here's the latest on Sharpe's injury and her status for Saturday's final.

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Cassie Sharpe injury update

After posting the third-best score of the day in halfpipe qualifying, Sharpe set aim at another impressive mark. But she landed awkwardly on her attempt, losing her balance before falling to the ground. Le Journal de Quebec reported that Sharpe hit her head as she fell to the ground.

Sharpe writhed in pain for nearly 10 minutes before emergency personnel wheeled her away with a sled. The 33-year-old waved at her family as she left the halfpipe.

Despite her injury, Sharpe qualified for Saturday's halfpipe final.

Cassie Sharpe crash

Sharpe fell hard while attempting to land a flip, hitting her head on the ground. She laid motionless before being tended to by medical personnel. After about 10 minutes, Sharpe was loaded up on a sled and dragged away from the halfpipe. She was outfitted in a neck brace as medical personnel took her away.

Who is Cassie Sharpe?

Sharpe is a 33-year-old freestyle skier making her third Olympic appearance during the 2026 Winter Games. The Comox, British Columbia native is one of the world's finest free skies, claiming gold in Pyeongchang in 2018 and silver in Beijing in 2022. A two-time Winter X Games gold medalist, Sharpe was expected to compete for a spot on the podium alongside China's Eileen Gu.

Sharpe retired from the sport shortly after the 2022 Games. She returned to action two years later -- and five months after giving birth to her daughter. During the 2025 Winter X Games, Sharpe gold in her signature event.

“I was like, ‘Oh, my god, I just won X Games as a mom. That's so cool,'” Sharpe said, per NBC.