Winter Olympics: Katie Ormerod ruled out of Games in Pyeongchang with fractured heel

Ormerod was due to compete in two events - slopestyle and big air

British snowboarder Katie Ormerod is out of the Winter Olympics in Korea after suffering a severely fractured right heel in training on Thursday.

The 20-year-old medal hopeful suffered a minor wrist fracture in practice on Wednesday but was still intending to compete in Sunday's slopestyle.

But the British Olympic Association (BOA) has confirmed she will have "emergency surgery" on Friday.

The Games in Pyeongchang start on Friday and run to 25 February.

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Mike Hay, Team GB chef de mission, said the team were "deeply sorry" and "desperately disappointed" for Ormerod.

Dan Hunt, British Ski and Snowboard's performance director, added: "Her determined and fearless nature will see her come back from this and reach the exciting potential and future that is ahead of her.

"Her team-mates will now be giving their all for her as well as their nation."

Ormerod posted her X-ray image and an picture of herself in hospital on Instagram following the announcement

Ormerod became the first Briton to win a slopestyle World Cup gold in Moscow last year and also took bronze at the 2017 X Games.

The Yorkshirewoman finished third at the Big Air World Cup in Pyeongchang in 2016 - a test event for the Winter Olympics.

Ormerod has suffered a series of injuries in her career, snapping her anterior cruciate knee ligament, damaging the meniscus in both knees and fracturing her shoulder, both arms and back.

"The injuries don't bother me - I just keep coming back stronger," she told the BBC before the Games.

Britain is aiming for its most successful Winter Olympics with a target of at least five medals.

Sports data analyst Gracenote is forecasting five medals for Britain and, while they ranked Ormerod as a top-eight prospect, they did not predict her to win a medal.

Reaction

British snowboarder Ben Kilner, speaking to BBC Radio 5 live:

I had all hopes on Katie. I am sure she would have done very well for us. We are subtracting a gold.

It is very bad news. But it is called an extreme sport for a reason because injury is not ruled out to say least.

BBC Sport pundit and 2014 slopestyle bronze medallist Jenny Jones:

Absolutely gutted for Katie. Wishing her all the best for surgery and a massive get well soon.