Winter Olympic Snowboarder Breaks Neck in Training Crash Just Days Before He Was Set to Compete

NEED TO KNOW

• Australian snowboarder Cam Bolton has fractured his neck in two places after crashing during a training run for the 2026 Winter Olympics
• Bolton initially walked away from the crash seemingly unscathed, but woke up the next day with severe pain in his neck, according to The Independent and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
• The 35-year-old, who was set to compete in snowboard cross, was airlifted to a hospital in Milan for treatment
  

Australian snowboarder Cam Bolton's Olympic dreams appear to be over after he broke his neck during training.

Bolton, 35, fell “heavily” in a snowboard training session in Livigno, Italy, on Monday, Feb. 9, while practicing for the 2026 Winter Olympics, U.K. outlet The Independent and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. 

The athlete, who was competing in his fourth Winter Olympics, initially walked away from the fall seemingly unscathed. The next day, he woke up with severe pain in his neck, according to the outlets.

Scans revealed that Bolton fractured his neck in two places. He was then transported from the mountain by helicopter to a facility in Milan for further treatment of his injuries, per The Independent and ABC.

Alisa Camplin-Warner — Australia's Chef de Mission for Milano Cortina 2026 — said in a statement, per the outlets, that Bolton is “doing well” amid his recovery in the hospital.

“Cam wanted to make [sure] his teammates understood what was happening and that he was fine and doing well and being looked after well,” said Camplin-Warner. 

“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,” she continued, adding that Bolton had been joined by his wife, Grace.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Australian Olympics Committee and Camplin-Warner for comment.

Bolton was scheduled to compete in the men's seeding round of the snowboard cross competition in Livigno on Thursday, Feb. 12. He has now been replaced by James Johnstone, who will make his Olympic debut alongside Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes, per The Independent.

The athlete was also set to compete in the snowboard cross mixed team event.

Bolton began competing in snowboarding in his early teens. He competed at the Winter Olympics for the first time at the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia, and finished in 13th place at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, becoming the highest-placed Australian male snowboarder in the competition.

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In March 2025, Bolton won Australia’s first World Cup gold while competing in the mixed team snowboard cross in Erzurum, Türkiye.

Bolton also secured a silver at the 2025 World Championships in the mixed team snowboard cross alongside Mia Clift.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.

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