Winter Olympics 2022 - The incredible story of Colby Stevenson’s journey from shattered skull to Olympic medallist

Updated 09/02/2022 at 09:16 GMT

An incredible story. Colby Stevenson won silver medal at the Beijing Games in the first-ever men’s freeski big air competition, six years after escaping death in a car accident that saw him shatter his skull in 30 places. “My brain swelled eight millimeters, and at nine millimeters is when brain damage starts,” Stevenson said.

’30 fractures in his skull!’ – Stevenson returns from horror injury to claim ‘miracle’ silver

In May 2016, Colby Stevenson was left fighting for his life after falling asleep behind the wheel of his friend’s truck. Fast-forward six years, he can call himself an Olympic medallist.

The USA freestyle skier shattered his skull in 30 places after a car crash which saw the truck he was driving roll multiple times, suffer a collapsed roof and cause traumatic brain injuries to the now 24-year-old.

He also broke his eye-socket and ribs, forcing the then teenager into a medically-induced coma for three days.

Beijing 2022

‘Drama! Drama! Drama!’ – Re-live Gu’s remarkable Olympic Games

00:02:34

23/02/2022 at 15:00

“I’m in the one percent of people that have this type of skull fracture and no brain damage,” Stevenson told My New Favorite Olympian podcast.

My brain swelled eight millimeters, and at nine millimeters is when brain damage starts.

“It was not looking good for me, but I never once thought in my head that there was another option for my life,” than skiing, he said. “I didn’t have a back-up plan other than to be a professional skier.”

His persistence through those dark times paid-off on Wednesday morning, when he became an Olympic medallist alongside Norwegian Birk Ruud and Sweden’s Henrik Harlaut. Stevenson claimed silver medal after producing jumps worth 91.25 and 91.75 points.

He recalled his first day back on the snow after his injury, landing his favourite trick - a double cork 1080 grabbing the tails of his skis - in a New Zealand training camp just five months after the incident.