Forced break: Alessandra Keller undergoes cruciate ligament surgery

German biathlete Alessandra Keller will miss the rest of the 2022/23 season due to a cruciate ligament injury

The German Ski Association (DSV) announced on Thursday that the 24-year-old had undergone surgery on her right knee and will be out for the remainder of the campaign.

Keller, who won a bronze medal in the relay at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, suffered the injury during a training session in Ruhpolding last week.

The DSV said in a statement that the surgery was a success and that Keller is expected to make a full recovery.

Keller is one of Germany's top biathletes and was expected to be a key member of the team at the 2023 World Championships in Oberhof, Germany.

Her absence will be a blow to the German team, which is hoping to challenge Norway for the overall World Cup title this season.

Keller is the second German biathlete to suffer a major injury this season. In November, Denise Herrmann-Wick broke her ankle in a training accident.

Despite the setbacks, the German team remains one of the favorites for the World Championships. The team is led by reigning Olympic champion Johannes Thingnes Boe of Norway, who has won four of the first five races of the season.

The World Championships will be held in Oberhof, Germany, from February 8-19.