(BDCi) — Aerials skier Lais Souza, a two-time Olympic gymnast for Brazil, is unable to move her arms or legs in a Utah hospital after a skiing training crash on Monday.
Souza was in an intensive care unit at a University of Utah hospital, awake and breathing with the help of ventilation Wednesday, according to the Brazil Olympic Committee.
She had spine surgery after suffering severe trauma in a Salt Lake City crash Monday.
“Lais has a long recovery process in front of her,” Team Brazil doctor Antonio Marttos said, according to the committee. “A long term prognostic cannot be predicted at this time. Her medical team is doing everything possible to allow her to have the best recovery possible.”
Souza,25, attempted to become the first Olympic gymnast to compete in a winter Olympics this year, according to Olympstats.com
Brazil did not automatically qualify for women’s aerials but was the fourth alternate in reallocation if other countries that did earn spots gave them back. So far, the top three alternates have been added to the Olympic field, making Brazil the top alternate.
Souza competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics but was injured in 2012.
Source: olympictalk.nbcsports.com