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Olympic champion Paerson suffers injury

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-13 21:43
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FLACHAU, Austria - Olympic champion Anja Paerson of Sweden was forced out of a World Cup slalom in Flachau on Tuesday after hurting her left knee as she straddled a gate in the first run.

Olympic champion Paerson suffers injury
Anja Paerson of Sweden reacts after crossing the finish line in the women's downhill event at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Cortina d'Ampezzo January 23, 2010.  [Photo/Agencies]

The 2004 and 2005 World Cup winner was treated on the side of the piste and taken to the bottom on a stretcher but the extent of the injury was not immediately known.

Her father Anders told Austrian television she had been sent to a local hospital for checks which did not reveal anything serious.

The 28-year-old Paerson, who underwent knee surgery in 2006, showed a picture of her bandaged knee on her website with the caption: "Not so lucky number 13 today. Don't know anything yet. Hope it's better tomorrow."

Paerson had signalled her return to form last weekend in Haus im Ennstal by finishing second in a World Cup downhill and super-G behind American Lindsey Vonn.

She won the slalom gold and two bronze medals at the Turin Olympics in 2006 and is hoping to defend her title in Vancouver, Canada next month.

The alpine skiing events start on Feb. 13 with the women's slalom on Feb. 26.

Paerson said last year she planned to retire at the end of this season.