Cross-Country Skiing: Bronze is 'gold with diamonds' for falling star Slovenia's Petra Majdic

Whistler (AFP) - Slovenia's Petra Majdic said Wednesday's bronze in the women's sprint classic was like an Olympic 'gold with little diamonds' after she suffered a bruising tumble into a rocky stream just before the start.

The 30-year-old fell three metres down a bank and onto rocks after slipping in the warm-up, but still managed to battle through four rounds to finish third behind Norways's Marit Bjoergen and Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland.

"It was Slovenia's first medal, which is why I think I fought so hard," she said.

"I could feel the injury everytime I moved and it still hurt really badly. It might have been a bronze, but for me this medal is gold with little diamonds.

"Before the first race, I was thinking 'it's over, it's over' because I could barely move.

"But I have been fighting for this for 23 years and many people were cheering for me."

Having turned down a pain-killing injection which would have hindered her movement, Madjic gritted her teeth and was in clear discomfort after each of the four rounds on the 1.4km-long course.

Madjic had a scan after the race which revealed she had not broken any ribs, but she has deep bruising and ruled herself out of Friday's 15km pursuit.

"I think it will be impossible for me to race - in a few days the injury will be much worse," she said.

"The best thing I can do is to prepare for the 30km mass start (on February 27th)."

Madjic, second in the overall World Cup rankings, said the area where she fell - a bridge over a small stream - was unsafe.

"The accident happened on an icy corner, the area was not secured, I slipped and the momentum carried me over the edge," she said.

"There was a big drop - about three metres - and I landed in a small stream with rocks. I was falling towards a big rock and I managed to turn on my side, but I still broke both poles and a ski.

"I was in pain and some volunteers helped me out. They wanted to take me to the medical centre, but I yelled, 'take me to the start.'

"I was screaming in pain at the track, I think it was the first time all the national coaches were cheering for me, they could hear how much pain I was in.

"When the pain-killers wear off, it will be very painful."

Category:

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Tags:

• Cross-Country
• Skiing
• Bronze
• is
• gold
• with
• diamonds
• for
• falling
• Slovenia
• Petra
• Majdic
• vancouver
• 2010

[Jarkinson]

It's obvious! Bjoergen should start on paralympic if she's ill.

[lslavychecker]

SLOVENIA....BRAVO,BRAVO...UNFO­RGETABLE....please take care of you health WE LOVE YOU SLOVENIA....

[Dschland92]

Petra Majdic has got such a great character she is one of the best athlets in the World Cup

It´s so sad that she finished her career today

I hope she will make a Comeback

Petra we all will miss you :(

Wish you all the best and good luck from Germany and the rest of the world

[Stajercman]

@szymon2118 kowalchyk is a cheater failed in doping 3 years ago so who is really the best ou ignornt cunt!!

[suitelifeondeckowner]

kowalczyk won a bronze , silver and a gold in 30km. and Bjorgen might be still disqualified if she takes any medication which there is a good chance she did so kowalczyk would get better medals, 2 gold and 1 silver

[arecki331]

Bjorgens-fuckin anabolic queen

[lolekbolek92]

mrsupizdomater ne bodi taki kreten

[szymon2118]

Kowalczyk is the best but I compassion Petra

[1974wlodek]

petra i justyna the best

[1974wlodek]

mrsupizdomater ty tez won