Olympic snowboard champ Frieden retires

By Associated Press Published: Jan 26, 2010 at 11:30 AM PST
Olympic snowboard champ Frieden retires
Tanja Frieden of Switzerland jumps to a gold medal in the final of the Women's Snowboard Cross competition at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Bardonecchia, Italy. (AP file photo)

ZURICH (AP) — Olympic champion Tanja Frieden has retired because of an injury three weeks before she was to defend her snowboardcross title at the Vancouver Games.

The 33-year-old Swiss says her competitive career is over after tearing both Achilles' tendons at a World Cup meet last week in Stoneham, Canada.

Frieden spoke tearfully Tuesday at a news conference from a wheelchair after her recent surgery.

Frieden won gold ahead of Lindsey Jacobellis from the United States when snowboardcross debuted as an Olympic sport at the 2006 Turin Games.

Jacobellis appeared set for victory, but fell when grabbing her board at the next-to-last jump.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.