A moment of maximum tension was experienced recently on the Livigno course during the freeski big air qualification at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Finnish athlete Elias Lajunen, just 18 years old, suffered a violent fall after losing control mid-jump and was left unconscious for a few seconds on the snow.
The accident occurred during his first attempt in the qualifying round. After descending the 40-meter (131.2-foot) ramp and executing an aerial trick, Lajunen wasn't able to stabilize himself in the final part and landed heavily, hitting his back and striking the right side of his face. Silence took hold of the crowd while the skier remained motionless face down.
The medical teams entered immediately to assist him. After several seconds of uncertainty, the young athlete was able to stand up with help and, already on the stretcher, raised his thumb to reassure the spectators before being taken away amid applause.
Lanjunen no sufrió heridas mayores
According to Finnish outlet YLE, subsequent tests didn't detect any serious injuries. The Finnish Olympic Committee confirmed that "Lajunen is doing well after undergoing additional examinations that didn't reveal any worrying issues". In any case, the athlete remained hospitalized under observation overnight as part of the protocol.
The fall left him out of contention in the big air event, since he wasn't able to complete the remaining qualifying runs. In his Olympic debut, he had also taken part in the slopestyle qualification, where he finished in 18th place and wasn't able to advance.
La caída dejó fuera de competencia a Lajunen
The son of Samppa Lajunen, a triple Olympic medalist, Elias was beginning his journey on the biggest stage in winter sports in Milano Cortina and was emerging as one of Finland's great prospects, but it didn't end as expected with this harsh accident. Fortunately, although the scare after the impact was significant, the outcome brought relief, with the young skier being stable and without serious consequences.
