Heartbroken Pam taking time to heal
Skier to rest after Games snub
Skier Pam Thorburn admits she will take time away from the sport to let the mental and physical wounds from her failed Winter Olympics bid heal.
The Strathaven star was denied a place in PyeongChang after being handed a spot at the Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), only for Team GB to refuse her the chance because she failed to meet their qualifying criteria.
Last week the News told how the 31-year-old was left heartbroken by Team GB’s decision after she had battled on through injury and illness to get herself into a position where she felt she could realise her lifelong dream.
And with the 2018 Games almost over, Thorburn said: “Right now, I’m not making any long-term decisions.
“I am purely focussing on getting healthy and I will finally take the time to try to heal my shoulder and neck problems.
“It’s been four years of not really being able to use my shoulder, which has meant building some pretty awful movement patterns to be able to perform.
“The consequence of that has resulted in severe calcification build up and nerve problems in my neck.
“So I think for now, all of my energy needs to go to that, to be able to live without pain, and to be able to do all the other cool things that life has to offer outside of skiing.”
It’s the third time she has missed out on the Olympics after making the qualifying criteria in the alpine section for Vancouver 2010, only for Snowsport GB to go bust and deny her due to a lack of funding.
In Sochi 2014 Pam was denied again when Britain took a 56-strong squad to Russia but chose not to select any ski-cross competitors.
And she added: “It’s kind of like breaking up with your biggest love... three times over.
“I couldn’t have had a worse season: cancelled races, weather, illness, and injury, mixed with some downright bad luck were just a part of it.
“Yet I had the best pre-season I have ever had.
“I felt good, I was fast. I felt more than ready to go and earn my spot for the Games.”