BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — His face showed little expression as he glided his way down the hill. This was serious business — no laughing, smiling or crying.
With his two-time Olympic gold medalist father holding on, 17-month-old Jax Ligety took his first trek down the slope a few months ago. The look: Pure determination.
It’s a look Ted Ligety knows all too well. He’s that determined to return to the top.
For years, Ligety has been plagued by knee and back issues. Now healthier than he’s been in a while, Ligety’s attempting to rediscover the giant slalom form that allowed him to win an Olympic gold medal (2014 Sochi Games), capture five World Cup titles in the discipline and challenge Austrian standout Marcel Hirscher.