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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 11:47 p.m., Monday, January 26, 2009

Skiing: Albrecht has lung infection while in induced coma

Associated Press

INNSBRUCK, Austria — Swiss skier Daniel Albrecht suffered a lung infection while in an induced coma after a downhill training crash last week.

Albrecht received antibiotics to fight the pneumonia, the Innsbruck University hospital, where he is being treated, said in a statement Tuesday.

It said the crash had caused several small bleeds in Albrecht's lungs which had not yet stopped.

"This kind of inflammation develops with almost 80 percent of all patients who suffer from this kind of lung injury," the hospital said.

Albrecht had "a very quiet and stable night" and would be kept in an induced coma until his lungs have sufficiently recovered.

Albrecht suffered brain and lung injuries Thursday following a crash in training for a World Cup downhill event in Kitzbuehel, Austria.

The brain injury was without complications, the hospital said.

The 25-year-old is the reigning super-combined world champion and has four career World Cup victories — three in giant slalom and one in super-combi. He has two giant slalom wins this season, at Soelden, Austria, and Alta Badia, Italy, and is 10th in the overall World Cup standings.