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On Saturday, Oct. 3, in Trento, Italy, Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia gave health updates at the Festival dello Sport. Brignone discussed her rehabilitation following knee surgery**. Goggia described the illness that prompted her early return from training in Argentina.**
Brignone’s recovery and Olympic comeback
At the event, Brignone spoke in Italian, telling Sky Sport Italia, “In the last two years I have reached the peak that I had dreamed of all my career. Unfortunately, I touched it and saw it fade away so quickly.”
She said rehabilitation remained her priority as she worked toward the season, not just the World Championships. A return to skiing would depend on her leg improving. Sky Sport
Brignone competed in just two World Cup races during the 2025-26 season prior to the Olympics**. She then** won gold in both super-G and giant slalom at her home Olympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo in February.
This came 10 months after she suffered a serious leg injury in April 2025 during a giant slalom at the Italian national championships. The crash came weeks after she had secured her second overall World Cup title.
The 36-year-old described the physical difficulty of preparing for the Olympics while recovering from injury.
She told Sky Sport Italia that her body had sent warning signals, but she pushed herself to compete.
Now she hopes to make another comeback following an Aug. 25 operation to remove a plate and screws from her left knee, according to Sky Sport Italia. Surgeons had inserted the hardware after her April 2025 injury. Sky Sport
Reflecting on the Olympic effort, Brignone said her determination helped her push beyond her body’s warnings. She believed she had crossed a limit she would not normally exceed.
Goggia’s waiting game
The 2018 Olympic downhill champion went to Ushuaia, Argentina, in August but returned home early for medical tests.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Goggia had trained well during the opening portion of the camp. She completed training sessions in super-G, giant slalom and slalom before becoming unwell.
Goggia told Sky Sport Italia that her energy dropped in July. She initially attributed the fatigue to the summer heat and heavy training.
Goggia also said that doctors identified two viral infections after she returned to Italy: chikungunya and parvovirus B19. She said the acute phase had passed, but lingering symptoms still affected her energy and daily activities. Sky Sport
Goggia has previously returned from serious injuries. Her current recovery follows an illness that interrupted preseason training.
In Trento, Goggia also told Sky Sport Italia, “I have always come out of difficult situations using my best weapon — willpower, the desire for redemption and not giving up.”
Return plans remain unclear
Neither athlete’s comments established a date for returning to World Cup competition. RAI reported that Goggia would miss Sölden. www.rainews.it
Quotidiano Sportivo reported that Brignone’s participation in the season would depend on her health. She expressed little interest in returning for only one race. Quotidiano Sportivo
The pair have 66 World Cup wins and 154 World Cup podiums between them.
For now, their updates center on recovery. Returning to snow and returning to competition remain separate steps.
About the Author: Matt Garcka
