Aleksander Aamodt Kilde suffers major setback after rupturing Achilles tendon during training accident in Chile
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By Ben Grounds
Published 15/10/2026 at 18:58 GMT+1
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde’s efforts to rebuild his skiing career have suffered another setback, with the Norwegian star rupturing his Achilles tendon in a training accident in Chile.
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The Norwegian Ski Association confirmed on Thursday that the injury occurred during a downhill training session the previous day.
Kilde - who is Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiance - is travelling to Innsbruck, Austria, where his regular medical team will carry out further examinations and assess the available treatment options.
The full extent of the injury and its implications for his return to competition have yet to be established.
A statement from the Norwegian Ski Association read: "Aleksander is now travelling home to Innsbruck (his base in Austria) for further medical examinations and assessment of treatment options with his trusted medical team."
"We will provide an update once more information is available regarding the next steps."
The news marks another difficult chapter for an athlete whose determination to return to the highest level has already been tested by a lengthy and complicated recovery.
Kilde’s struggles began with a serious crash at Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2024.
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The accident, which occurred towards the end of his run in the prestigious Lauberhorn downhill, left him with severe damage to his right calf, including nerve injury, as well as two torn shoulder ligaments.
He subsequently underwent surgery and faced an extended rehabilitation period that would prove more complicated than anticipated.
His recovery was further disrupted when a shoulder infection developed into sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition.
Additional surgery and medical complications kept him away from competition throughout the 2024/25 season, prolonging his absence from the sport in which he had established himself as one of the leading figures of his generation.
After almost two years away, Kilde finally returned to the World Cup circuit in November 2025.
His comeback was an important milestone following the physical and medical challenges he had endured, although regaining his place among the sport’s elite remained a work in progress.
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Kilde also missed the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics
Image credit: Getty Images
The Norwegian’s recovery also came with a significant competitive disappointment.
Despite working towards a return in time for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, he ultimately withdrew from the Games after acknowledging that his physical condition and mental readiness had not reached the level he required.
Kilde explained in February that he had exhausted every effort to prepare for the Olympics but could not perform as he believed the occasion demanded.
While the decision was difficult, he also expressed pride in having overcome the obstacles necessary to compete in the World Cup again.
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His absence from Milano Cortina meant missing another opportunity to build on an already-distinguished Olympic record.
Kilde has competed at three Winter Games and claimed two medals at Beijing 2022, winning silver in the combined event and bronze in the super-G.
He also secured the overall World Cup title in 2020 and has accumulated 21 World Cup victories during his career.
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