Injury puts Wells out of Games
A devastated Jossi Wells has been forced out of the Winter Olympics through injury.
The 27-year-old, a medal hope in the freeski slopestyle, hasn’t recovered sufficiently from a torn patella tendon to risk it on his sport’s biggest stage.
Wells suffered the injury in June last year and though he returned to the snow in late December, he has decided he wouldn’t be ready for the Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea from February
9-25. Wells contested the
2014 Winter Games, placing fourth in the halfpipe and
11th in slopestyle.
He won gold at the 2016 Winter X Games in Aspen and has three silvers and a bronze from earlier X Games.
‘‘I’m devastated to have had to come to this decision. I gave this rehabilitation everything I had and unfortunately it has just come down to timing,’’ Wells said.
‘‘I would like to thank Snow Sports NZ and the NZOC for their amazing support during this rehabilitation, it truly means the world to me to have such a great team in my corner.
‘‘I would also like to thank the New Zealand public for their support over the years and I look forward to representing you all in the future. ‘‘I wish the best to the rest of the team and I look forward to supporting each of the incredible athletes representing our great nation.’’
New Zealand are looking to have a team of around 20 at the Games.