Sports

Snowboarder eyes comeback after breaking neck at Olympics

23 of February 2018

From bottom to top; Pierre Vaultier, of France, Jarryd Hughes, of Australia, Markus Schairer, of Austria, and Hanno Douschan, of Austria, runs the course during the men's snowboard cross elimination round at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull),From bottom to top; Pierre Vaultier, of France, Jarryd Hughes, of Australia, Markus Schairer, of Austria, and Hanno Douschan, of Austria, runs the course during the men's snowboard cross elimination round at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Austrian snowboard crosser who broke his neck in a frightening crash at the Olympics last week is considering a return to the sport. Markus Schairer says the prospect of a comeback is "the easiest way to get healthy again."

VIENNA (AP) — The Austrian snowboard crosser who broke his neck in a frightening crash at the Olympics last week is considering a return to the sport.

Markus Schairer says the prospect of a comeback is “the easiest way to get healthy again.”

The 30-year-old Schairer underwent surgery on the fractured fifth vertebrae in his neck in an Austrian hospital on Monday, four days after he slammed into the snow on his back. He lost control in the air on the final jump of the downhill course during the Olympic snowboardcross quarterfinals.

With no indication of long-term damage, the three-time Olympian is expected to need three months for recovery.

Schairer has won four World Cups and became world champion in 2009.