Slalom winner Vlhova leaving Olympics early with ankle issue

By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP) — Slalom gold medalist Petra Vlhova is leaving the Beijing Olympics early due to an inflamed left ankle tendon and will miss the Alpine combined event in which she would have been a challenger to Mikaela Shiffrin. Vlhova’s coach Mauro Pini says that having “reached her goal of gold in the slalom and considering this small physical problem we are putting the priority on her next goals.” He adds that the Slovakian also wants to make sure she has time “to go home and share this medal with those closest to her.”