American Emily Sweeney Walks Away From a Terrifying Luge Crash in Pyeongchang

The 2018 Winter Olympics have seen some incredible highs for U.S. athletes (see Chloe Kim’s gold medal halfpipe, Mirai Nagasu’s historic triple axel, and Adam Rippon’s gorgeous Coldplay routine), but American Emily Sweeney’s terrifying luge crash on her final run today gave her teammates, family, and fans a scare. Sweeney was rounding the infamously difficult Curve 9 on the track when she began to speed back and forth out of control—at about 60 miles per hour. She fell off of her sled before rolling to a stop, as medical personnel rushed to her and the crowd held its breath.

Thankfully, Sweeney, who is 24 and a member of the National Guard, walked away from the accident on her own and was only “banged up,” according to an on-site doctor. Upon exiting the course, she received a standing ovation from the other lugers and was even able to say, “I’m fine,” which, if you weren’t crying already, certainly sealed the deal.

Another tearjerker was super-teen Chloe Kim’s father’s reaction to her incredible gold medal–winning run on the halfpipe course on Monday. Jong Jin Kim came to the United States from South Korea in 1982, so Chloe’s trip to the Games in Pyeongchang has been particularly powerful for her family. Her dad was also spotted with a celebratory beer after his daughter’s triumph, which is, as the saying goes, the ultimate “dad move.” PSA: Part of being an elite-level Olympics-watcher is being prepared to weep nobly at any given moment.