CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Austrian bobsledder Katrin Beierl is racing at the Milan Cortina Games with a broken foot.
As far as medical challenges go, that's almost an easy one compared with some of what she's dealt with in recent years.
Go back to August 2022, when Beierl — then just a few days shy of her 29th birthday — was on vacation in Peru. She thought she was just having a bad migraine and went back to bed. Turns out, she was having a stroke. And she didn't know what would happen next.
"I thought this is the end of my career," Beierl said.
Not even close. She did wind up missing an entire season, was out of her sled for basically a full year and went 21 months between official races — from the 2022 Beijing Olympics through a November 2023 World Cup event in her native Austria.
But now, she's clearly full-go again. Beierl was a three-time World Cup medal winner this season, doubling her career total, and enters Sunday's start of the monobob competition at these Olympics as one of the legitimate hopefuls.
“To have achieved this big, big goal again after the stroke, to be at my third Olympic Games, is indescribable,” Beierl said. “I am super proud to represent Austria once more, and I am looking forward to everything that comes.”
The stroke affected her vision, left her dealing with dizziness and fatigue at times and obviously limited her ability to train. In time, most of the issues subsided and Beierl's results show that — she was fifth in the combined World Cup standings last season, fourth in the combined standings this season.
At Cortina, she'll race in the monobob Sunday and Monday, then team with Christania Williams — a silver medalist sprinter for Jamaica in the 400-meter relay at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games before obtaining her Austrian citizenship — for the two-woman event on Friday and Saturday.
But even that was in some doubt when Beierl needed surgery three weeks ago after slipping during a weight-training workout and breaking her foot.
“The plan was to make news with just the results, but there were other plans for me,” she said.
The foot is good enough for her to compete, which means her Olympic comeback is about to be complete.
She's felt medal pressure before at the Olympics. This time, she's determined to just enjoy the moment.
“That pressure is not there anymore, so I see it as my chance to really enjoy my last Olympics," Beierl said. "It would not be my last race, but definitely my last Olympics. I just want to stand on that race day on Sunday with all the friends and family coming here, and I just want to have light in my heart and slide down the best I can.”
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Austria's Katrin Beierl starts for a women's monobob training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Austria's Katrin Beierl starts for a women's monobob training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
KOLKATA, India (AP) — Tom Banton hit an unbeaten 63 off 41 balls and Jofra Archer returned to form in England’s five-wicket win over Scotland at the T20 Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
England, desperately needing the victory following an unconvincing four-run win over Nepal and a loss to the West Indies, made 155-5 in 18.2 overs after the Scots were bowled out for just 152 in Kolkata.
Scotland wasted an ideal platform after getting to 90-3 in 10 overs, with the batters falling to mistimed sweep shots against the spinners.
England's top-order batters Phil Salt, Jos Buttler and captain Harry Brook fell for single digits, but Banton put on 66 with Jacob Bethell (32) and 46 with Sam Curran (28) to lift the team to second in Group C behind West Indies. It next plays Italy on Monday.
Salt drove loosely at Brandon McMullen and was caught at point before the pace bowler then took a smart catch over his shoulder at mid-off to dismiss Buttler as England slipped to 13-2.
Banton and Bethell then dug in well before Scotland hit back with two wickets in eight balls. Bethell slog swept and was caught at fine leg while Brook top-edged a scoop to fine leg.
Earlier, England hit back in the closing overs after Scotland had looked poised to set a challenging target when 113-3 midway through the 13th over.
The dismissal of captain Richie Berrington, who made 49, and Tom Bruce (24) in the space of four balls left Scotland struggling to accelerate late on.
Berrington and Bruce put on 71 in 41 deliveries before spinners Adil Rashid (3-36) and Liam Dawson (2-34) grabbed five wickets in four overs.
Fast bowler Archer, who was expensive against Nepal and West Indies, dismissed George Munsey and McMullen in a double-wicket second over.
In Colombo, Lorcan Tucker’s blistering unbeaten 94 off 51 balls earned Ireland its first win in the tournament as it crushed Oman by 96 runs in Group B.
Tucker, leading the side after Paul Stirling was ruled out of the World Cup due to a knee injury, powered Ireland to this tournament’s highest score of 235-5.
Gareth Delany hit 56 and George Dockrell smashed three sixes off the final three balls in a blazing 35 not out off nine deliveries.
In reply, Oman was bowled out for 139 in 18 overs after losing the last eight wickets for just 42 runs.
Opener Aamir Kaleem (50) and Hammad Mirza (46) put on 73 for the third wicket, but once Kaleem holed out after scoring his 28-ball half century, the Oman innings folded quickly. Fast bowler Josh Little grabbed 3-16 while Matthew Humphreys (2-27) and Barry McCarthy (2-32) shared four wickets.
In Ahmedabad, South Africa won the toss and elected to field against New Zealand in a game between the two unbeaten teams in Group D.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Scotland's Mark Watt is bowled out by England's Adil Rashid during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Scotland in Kolkata, India, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
England's Jofra Archer, left, celebrates with teammate Tom Banton the wicket of Scotland's George Munsey during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Scotland in Kolkata, India, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
England's Tom Banton plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Scotland in Kolkata, India, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Ireland's Josh Little celebrates the wicket of Oman's Mohammad Nadeem during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Ireland and Oman in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Ireland's Gareth Delany, left, Lorcan Tucker, right, encourage each other as they bat during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Ireland and Oman in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Ireland's Lorcan Tucker plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Ireland and Oman in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
