Schild confident of making full recovery

VIENNA (AFP) –

Austria’s reigning slalom World Cup champion Marlies Schild, pictured in action on November 25, 2012, says she is confident of making a full recovery following knee surgery which has ruled her out of February’s world championships.

Austria’s reigning slalom World Cup champion Marlies Schild says she is confident of making a full recovery following knee surgery which has ruled her out of February’s world championships.

The 31-year-old’s season was placed on hold after she tore a muscle in her right knee in Are, Sweden, on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday from the Innsbruck clinic where she was operated on on Friday Schild said: “I’ve no doubt that I will regain my form at 100 percent. But after that I’ll have to see if the sensations return.

“I want to return at my best, we’ll see about the rest.”

One of the two surgeons who carried out the procedure is confident about her chances of returning to competition.

“I’m expecting her to heal completely. In precisely three months she’ll be able to get back on her skis,” said Karl Golser.

Schild, ninth in the slalom World Cup standings, is one World Cup slalom win short of Swiss skier Vreni Schneider’s all-time record of 34.