Olympic hopeful hurt in accident

Just months from fulfilling a dream of competing in the 2006 Winter Olympics, Noelle Pikus-Pace, a medal hopeful from Orem and defending overall World Cup skeleton champion, broke her leg Wednesday during a freak accident on the ice track at Calgary Olympic Park.

Pikus-Pace, 22, was injured when an American four-man bobsled slammed into her during a competition. Pikus-Pace was waiting with two other sliders when the bobsled overran the stop area and struck her, according to the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. The other two athletes, Tristan Gale and Lee Ann Parsley, suffered minor injuries.

Lee Pikus, Noelle's father, told the Deseret Morning News that the bobsled that struck his daughter was manned by inexperienced bobsled riders. He said the sled jumped off the track. Pikus-Pace had her back turned and did not see the sled coming.

"I'm just glad she's OK," Pikus said.

Pikus-Pace was transported to a hospital in Calgary, Canada, where she underwent surgery for a compound fracture of her lower leg, four inches above the ankle, and doctors inserted screws in the leg, Lee Pikus said. Pikus-Pace won't be able to walk for three weeks and it could be as long as six weeks before she can do more than that.

It was not immediately known how long Pikus-Pace's recovery would take or whether she could compete in the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, according to federation spokesman Tom LaDue.

Pikus said his daughter's future is up in the air. "There's a lot to be determined," he said.

Pikus-Pace was scheduled to compete through Sunday in the trials to select the U.S. team to the World Cup.

Pikus-Pace's mother, Patricia, and the athlete's husband, Janson, flew from Salt Lake City to Calgary on Wednesday to be with her.

"All I know is there was an accident and she's out for the season," Janson Pace told KSL-TV. "So, not much we can do about it. We're just gonna go up and support her and be with her."

Pikus-Pace earned international acclaim last winter by winning the overall World Cup skeleton title — the first American male or female to do so — and placing second in the 2005 World Championships. A Utah Valley State College graduate and track athlete, she was considered a medal favorite in women's skeleton at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, scheduled for February in Italy.