American luger suffers terrifying crash that silences crowd and brings mom to tears
There was a scary moment Tuesday at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang when American luger Emily Sweeney suffered a terrifying crash.
Thankfully, the 24-year-old Sweeney, a sergeant in the U.S. Army National Guard, got up and walked away under her own power.
https://twitter.com/StevenAlbritton/status/963424179033866240
“I’m OK,” Sweeney said, according to reports. She didn’t suffer any broken bones, just bumps and bruises.
However, the crash ended her Olympics, as it was during her fourth and final run in the women’s singles competition.
Witnessed Emily Sweeney’s crash at luge coming out of curve 9. A curve many sliders warned us about last year. She walked to the ambulance on her own. pic.twitter.com/sz9mdvOoJI
— Sandy Hooper (@SandyHooper) February 13, 2018
Sweeney lost control of the luge about 30 seconds into her run at Curve 9, which is considered the most treacherous spot on the track.
Her luge began swinging from side to side instead of going straight, and she then fully spun out, her luge perpendicular to the track.
Sweeney fell off the luge and tumbled, eventually sliding feet first down the ice.
American Emily Sweeney walks away after scary Olympic luge crash https://t.co/ouizeK8ELP
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 13, 2018
Her teammates watched in horror on the monitors, as did her mom, Sue Sweeney, who cried out as her daughter spun out, according to reports.
Emily Sweeney's luge crash stuns Olympic crowds: US luger Emily Sweeney suffered a frightening crash Tuesday at the women's singles competition during the Winter Olympics. https://t.co/tcMkCuRdga pic.twitter.com/OKVEUkG55d
— Daily Deals USA (@Daily_trend_USA) February 13, 2018
“I’ve never been so relieved than when I saw her getting up and walking,” Team USA teammate Summer Britcher said.
Update on US’s Emily Sweeney, injured tonight during women's luge singles event:
– at hospital
– no apparent broken bones
– able to walk on own power
– teammates seemed shaken but somewhat relieved by initial prognosis— Chico Harlan (@chicoharlan) February 13, 2018
It was the first Olympics for Sweeney, whose sister Megan competed as a luger for Team USA in the 2010 Olympics.
For #USArmy Soldier the road to @pyeongchang2018 was anything but easy. @ecsluge overcomes heartache and injury to compete in 2018 @Olympics as a member of @TeamUSA.https://t.co/J6bJ8V9UV7
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) February 6, 2018
None of the three American women in the women’s singles competition won a medal.
Erin Hamlin, the bronze medalist at Sochi in 2014, finished eighth; Britcher placed 19th; and Sweeney did not finish.
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