Para-alpine skier Jonty O'Callaghan's Beijing Winter Paralympics dreams are over after he suffered a broken collarbone in a serious crash in training.
O'Callaghan will require surgery on the injury suffered in Austria last Thursday, when he was also concussed, and will not recover in time to compete at the Games which commence on March 4.
The 24-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, made his Paralympics debut in 2018 and had been due to arrive in Beijing for his second games on Thursday, where he was set to compete in all five alpine disciplines.
"There is a lot to process. I think the biggest emotion at the moment is emptiness," O'Callaghan said.
"I'm obviously very sad but I don't think the true extent of the disappointment or sadness will kick in until everyone's over there in the Games environment and competing and on TV.
"That's when I think it will become real and when I think I will fully digest what's happened, but at this point, it's really just a feeling of emptiness."
O'Callaghan informed his teammates, most of whom he was based with in Austria with, in an emotional meeting on Saturday before returning to Melbourne on Sunday.
"That conversation was the probably the hardest I have had to start with anyone," he said.
"I didn't contain my emotions very well.
"It was clearly a very emotional time for everyone.
"We've been on the road together for so long - both in terms of the number of years, but also this particular trip.
"It would have been day 93 or 94 for us today.
"Going into the home stretch (towards Beijing), to not be able to see it through with the team is really devastating both for me personally and for my friends on the team."
Australia's team now consists of just six alpine skiers, two sighted guides and para snowboarder Ben Tudhope.
"Unfortunately, injuries are part of the sport but there is a sense of great injustice when an injury like this occurs so close to a Paralympic Games," Australia's chef de mission Kate McLoughlin said.
"We will stay in constant contact with him and ensure that the team culture he has helped to build over several years remains as strong as ever, despite this hugely disappointing setback.
"Under the circumstances, Jonty has shown remarkable poise and maturity which is a measure of the person he is.
"As a team, we are right behind him on his road to recovery and he will continue to play an important role in our campaign from home."
