Ski star Hirscher to continue career after ACL tear
Marcel Hirscher from Austria in the 1st round on the course as he competes in men's giant slalom competition in the Alpine skiing world championship. Hirscher plans to continue his comeback next season despite a severe knee injury that has sidelined him since December. Michael Kappeler/dpa
Veteran Austrian ski star Marcel Hirscher plans to continue his comeback next season despite a severe knee injury that has sidelined him since December.
The record eight-time overall World Cup winner came out of retirement last season, competing for his mother's home country of the Netherlands, but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee early December in a training accident.
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Hirscher, 36, left his future open after the big setback, but said in an Instagram video on Wednesday that he was back in athletic training and that he will continue.
"I want to ski race. I want to keep going. And that's exactly what I am going to do now," he said.
"I am ready for another season of ski racing and I think now you can call it a comeback."
Twice Olympic and seven-time world champion Hirscher returned to action last October after five years of retirement.
He placed a credible 23rd in the season-opening giant slalom in Sölden, Austria, and also competed in two slaloms before the injury.
Hirscher said that the ruling body FIS has agreed to award him the remaining 17 wild card entries from the past season for the next campaign, which also contributed to his decision to continue.
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