Canadian alpine skier Frédérique Turgeon out of Paralympics after injury in training
Quebec native returning home to begin 3-4 month recovery for leg injury
Canadian Frédérique Turgeon's Paralympics are over before they began.
The Para alpine skier withdrew from the Beijing Games on Friday in China after suffering a leg injury during a downhill training crash.
Turgeon, the 22-year-old from Candiac, Que., has returned home to begin a three-to-four month recovery.
"This is the first time in my career that I've really been enjoying downhill, and I was going fast on a training run and just let things go," Turgeon said .
Turgeon was set to compete and her second Games before sustaining the injury. The three-time world championship medallist competes in the women's standing category.
Canadian Chef de Mission Josh Dueck said the team was "gutted" for Turgeon.
"Injury is an unfortunate part of sport, but it is particularly devastating when it happens right before the Paralympic Games," Dueck said.
The downhill races in Beijing begin on Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
