Chinese Snowboarder Liu Jiayu Injured in Halfpipe Qualifying

Chinese snowboarder Liu Jiayu suffered a serious fall during the women's halfpipe qualifying event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, on Wednesday, forcing her withdrawal from the competition and requiring medical attention on site.

The 33-year-old athlete, competing in her fifth Olympics, was on her second run at the Livigno Snow Park in Valtellina when the incident occurred. Liu, who entered the run in 13th place and needed to advance one position to secure a spot in Thursday's finals, caught an edge on her board while landing a 900-degree spin on her final jump. She slammed down hard on her left arm and shoulder, bending backward before somersaulting through the bottom of the halfpipe. The crash left her motionless for several minutes, appearing dazed and in pain as she lay at the base of the pipe.

The competition was halted for about 10 to 15 minutes while emergency medical personnel attended to her. Officials placed Liu on an emergency sled and carried her off the course on a stretcher. She scored 62.75 on her first run but was unable to complete the second, finishing 14th overall and missing the cutoff for the top 12 qualifiers.