Dec 18 (Reuters) - World champion slopestyle snowboarder Liam Brearley of Canada will miss the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics after undergoing surgery for a knee injury.
The 22-year-old injured his knee and ankle during training in November.
"After exploring every option, I've had to undergo knee surgery that unfortunately takes me out of the upcoming season and the Olympic Games," Brearley said in an Instagram post. "Competing on that stage has been a lifelong dream, and missing it hurts more than I can put into words."
Brearley won slopestyle gold at the world championships in Switzerland in March to earn him an automatic Olympic berth. The 2026 Games would have been his Olympic debut.
He vowed he will return to top form.
"I know setbacks are part of the journey," Brearley wrote. "The focus now is recovery and coming back stronger than before. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm more motivated than ever."
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Christian Radnedge)
