Terrifying Crash Hits Olympics Snowboarding Halfpipe
The 2026 Winter Olympics are off to a rough start with multiple incidents, including a norovirus outbreak that forced an event delay, and several serious crashes. Now, tragedy has struck again as a snowboarder who was performing on the halfpipe suffered a terrifying accident that required immediate medical help.
The Terrifying Moment That Stopped the Halfpipe Competition
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
On February 11, 2026, Liu Jiayu was on her second and final qualifying run in the women's halfpipe when something went horribly awry. At the time, she needed to climb one spot in the rankings to reach the finals. During her last trick, a 900-degree spin, her board caught an edge as she came off the transition, causing her to immediately lose balance.
In a frightening moment, the 33-year-old fell head-first into the pipe, slamming her left arm, shoulder, face, and stomach hard. Then, her momentum flipped her legs and board over her back. The accident is being described as a classic "Scorpion" wipeout in snowboarding terms. That is what it is called when a rider's legs and board snap forward, like a scorpion's tail. She ultimately rolled and wound up on her back when the crash was over.
Chinese snowboarder Liu Jiayu takes a worrisome fall on this afternoon’s Women’s Half Pipe during Milano-Cortina 2026.
— @nicmartinezva.bsky.social (@nicmartinezva) February 11, 2026
Hoping for a healthy recovery! pic.twitter.com/N4ulRvjPlV
Jiayu lay motionless after the impact until medical personnel rushed to help her. After 10 to 15 minutes of her getting aid where she landed, the athlete was loaded onto a stretcher and taken off the course to receive more treatment.
Despite how brutal the accident looked, fans were later given some promising news on the injuries Jiayu suffered. According to Xinhua Sports, medical staff later stated that it is "unlikely" that she suffered a cervical spine injury. Still, crashes like this highlight the risks athletes face in extreme events. Due to the high speeds that snowboarders reach and the hard landings, the dangers are very real, even when they wear protective gear like helmets. Fans hope for a quick recovery for Liu Jiayu.
A highly accomplished athlete, Jiayu, who is nicknamed "Birdie," began snowboarding at age 11. She has won the Gold medal at the 2009 FIS Snowboarding World Championships and Silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics, both in the halfpipe category. Unfortunately, she failed to qualify after her accident and won't move on in the 2026 Olympic competition.