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Broken back comeback: Before Cassie Sharpe won gold


Almost two years before Cassie Sharpe clinched ski halfpipe gold with an imperious display at PyeongChang2018, she dropped into a run that symbolizes the spirit and drive that has taken her to the pinnacle of the sport.

On February 28, 2016, at the X Games in Olso, the freestyle skier from Comox, B.C. won the women’s superpipe. It was the first gold medal of the then 23-year-old’s career and shockingly, she did it with a broken back.

Cassie Sharpe won her first gold at the 2016 Oslo X Games with a broken back.
Cassie Sharpe won her first gold at the 2016 Oslo X Games with a broken back.

Speaking to Yahoo Canada Sports before heading to South Korea, Sharpe revealed she had been competing in pain, oblivious to the severity of the injury, before the diagnosis came ahead of the X Games. Despite her coach’s pleas, the Canadian refused to miss the European tour.

“No, no, no, I’ve competed for a month and a half with a broken back, I’m going to go,” recounted Sharpe, with a grin on her face.

On securing the first international victory of her young career, Sharpe said, “It was very nice, felt good.”

Fair to say standing on top of the podium in PyeongChang may have felt just a little bit better.

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