Thompson looking to turn injury adversity into Olympic success – again
A quick look at Marielle Thompson‘s biography will show that she’s an experienced Olympian.
The 33-year-old has participated in three Olympic Winter Games, highlighted by winning women’s ski cross gold at Sochi 2014 and silver at Beijing 2022. A closer look at her career shows that Thompson is also well experienced in overcoming ill-timed injuries—something she’s looking to do again ahead of Milano Cortina 2026.
Late last February at a World Cup event in Gudauri, Georgia, Thompson was involved in a crash during a practice run that saw her tear the lateral collateral ligament off her right fibula, giving her less than a year to recover before Milano Cortina 2026.
“I think I’m just drawing from my experience,” Thompson said of her recovery status a few months ago. “I wish I didn’t have so many of these experiences, but knowing that I could put in the work, and get back is something. But yeah, there’s definitely days when you don’t want to do it. But then for me, the joy is racing. So when I’m back on my skis, I’m like, oh yeah, it was worth it. So yeah, it just takes time.”
Thompson had a similar experience heading into Beijing 2022. Eleven months before the Games, she re-tore her ACL. Eleven months later, she was standing on an Olympic podium with a silver medal around her neck.
Three months prior to PyeongChang 2018, Thompson ruptured her ACL and MCL and underwent surgery. She was still named to Canada’s 2018 Olympic team and posted the fastest time in the Olympic qualification round, only to be eliminated in the 1/8 finals.
If there’s anyone who knows how to overcome an injury heading into an Olympic Games, it’s Thompson.
READ: Thompson wins back-to-back World Cup ski cross golds, Schmidt claims men’s bronze
“So it’s kind of deja vu, but, having that experience, especially like a year out from Beijing, I kind of have that to draw on, which is nice. Like knowing that I made it there 11 months to the day and won a medal is pretty special. But even just being there was something.”
Thompson returned to the World Cup circuit in December. The weekend before the Canadian Olympic ski cross team was named in late January, she stood on a World Cup podium for the 74th time in her career.
Thompson and the other members of the Canadian women’s ski cross team will be looking to keep a streak alive in Italy. A Canadian has been on the women’s ski cross podium at every Olympic Winter Games since the discipline debuted at Vancouver 2010.
While Thompson has been considered one of the top racers in the world for over a decade now, she’s also become a leader for a Canadian team that has impressive depth.
“I think I am probably the quiet leader,” Thompson said. “I’ve gone from being 18 years old on the team and learning from my many awesome teammates to now kind of being the most experienced and I definitely do feel that. I’m trying to give as much as I can to my new and current teammates.”
Thompson made her World Cup debut in December 2010. At just 19-years-old, she earned her first World Cup victory in February 2012, which came on Canadian soil at Blue Mountain. She ended that season with three World Cup victories, giving her the overall title to become the first Canadian ski cross racer to win a Crystal Globe.
Since then, the Whistler, B.C. native has won the Crystal Globe three more times, the latest coming in 2023-24.
Thompson said that it’s a privilege to represent Canada on the world stage, particularly at the Olympic Games. She’s now helping other Canadian Olympians more directly as a member of the COC Athletes’ Commission.
“I think I just realized that we have that voice and to be able to share it is so important,” Thompson said of her decision to join the Commission. “And I think when it comes to sport, the athletes are the centre of sport. And so we should have that voice and that, if I can be an advocate even in the slightest, smallest way, it would be very special.”
While no athlete wants to be on the sidelines for too long, Thompson’s recent rehab has given her a chance to look back on many of the impressive moments she’s had during her career and that she’ll try to add to in February.
“I’ve been a lot more reflective lately because I’ve had time. Yeah. I think looking back and just realizing how they were just great opportunities and that I was very lucky.”
