Music: {allcanada} CANADIAN SKICROSS OLYMPIAN MURRAY RETIRES

Friday, June 1, 2012

{allcanada} CANADIAN SKICROSS OLYMPIAN MURRAY RETIRES

WHISTLER, B.C. - Olympic skicross athlete Julia Murray is retiring from the sport following a long recovery from knee injuries.

Murray, a 23-year-old native of Whistler, B.C., represented Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Games and won a silver medal at the 2011 world championships.

Murray blew out the anterior cruciate ligament and a medial collateral ligament in her knee a month before the Olympics.

She went on to compete in a knee brace and finished 12th.

"The Olympics were a once in a lifetime experience," said Murray in a statement Friday. "That feeling I had at the top of the course was very special. It was an indescribable moment I will remember for my whole life.

"I realize there is a lot more to life that involves my knee. I want to use it to its full potential for as long as possible. At this point, longevity outweighs the possibility of one or two years of pounding on it in competition."

Murray, the daughter of late Canadian skier Dave Murray, won silver at the 2011 worlds despite being unaware she had blown out her ACL again at the X Games earlier that year.

She plans to finish a diploma in communications, and is considering coaching skiers in the future.

Murray's teammate Chris Del Bosco of Montreal, who won gold in the men's final at the 2011 world championships, said Murray has been a big part of the success the Canadian team has had in recent years.

"She's going to leave a pretty big hole in our team on the girls' side," Del Bosco said. "She was extremely talented and a great person to have on the team. We've always had a really strong women's team and she was a huge part of it."