Bode Miller Likely Won't Race until February
Bode Miller likely won't start his season until February as part of his cautious return from left knee surgery. There's also a chance he might sit out the entire season.
Meanwhile, the American skier might be busy taking care of his wife — after accidentally hitting her in the face with a golf ball.
Miller's own injury stems from last winter when his knee first began acting when he was competing on an icy hill in Sochi, Russia, during a test race for the 2014 Olympics. He ended up requiring microfracture surgery, during which doctors also mended a cartilage issue that's hampered him since a crash in 2001.
U.S. Ski Team head coach Sasha Rearick told The Associated Press that Miller is scheduled to fly to Europe in early January to begin training.
"Let's train first. Step by step. The first step is to get on the skis, then the race skis, then train," Rearick said. "I would love to have him race as soon as possible, but let's look long-term. Let's look ahead to Sochi, let's look ahead to the (next) World Cup season."
Miller had another recent mishap to worry about this week — going on Twitter on Wednesday to announce his "first major golfing catastrophe."
"Hit wife w golfball. (hash)worstfeelingever," Miller wrote.
Miller posted photos his wife, the pro volleyball player Morgan Miller, showing her left eye completely closed, swollen and bloodied. The couple met this year and married in October.
"I'm not feeling so hot. Line drive to the face today with a golf ball from my darling husband. I still love," Morgan Miller Tweeted on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Morgan Miller Tweeted that she got 50-plus stitches and still can't see out of her eye.
When it comes to his skiing, Rearick said Miller had been planning to train more in Colorado this month but then changed his plans.
"We decided to take a longer break and let the knee heal a little bit more," Rearick said. "All the effects we've seen from the follow-ups with the doctors are all very, very positive. So let's be real smart about it, let's do it right, and right now we're delaying his return because the healing process is going the right way."
Rearick said Miller is hoping to take part in a training camp in Sochi at the end of February, part of a special agreement between the U.S. team and the Russian ski federation.
Even though the training camp comes during the World Cup season, Rearick is hoping to bring all of his top skiers. The U.S. women can also come along.
"We're going to make some sacrifices with some people to skip some World Cup races to get that training opportunity," Rearick said. "(Ted) Ligety is planning to go."
Source: Associated Press
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