Austrian Reithmayer suffers Sochi injury blow

Reithmayer faces a lengthy lay-off after tearing her medial ligament in her left knee, but the 29-year-old has not given up on appearing in Sochi next month.

(Reuters)

"I felt right away that it was something big. The diagnosis is a bitter blow, especially because even in a normal case you have to take a six-week long break," she said in a statement from the Austrian luge federation.

"But I'm a fighter and I will move heaven and earth to be fit again for Sochi."

According to the Austrian federation, Reithmayer will miss the World Cup races in Oberhof and Altenberg, both in Germany, but depending on her recovery could return at the season final in Sigulda, Latvia at the end of the month.

Germany are expected to dominate the women's luge events in Sochi with World Cup leader Natalie Geisenberger and Olympic champion Tatjana Hufner the favourites.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Justin Palmer)