Ski racer Janica Kotelic, considered the greatest female skier of all times, won 5 competitions and was the overall winner at the 200203 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup but missed the next year due to  knee and thyroid surgery only to come back in 2015 to win 3 gold medals.
In the summer of 2006, she decided to not compete in the 2007 season, due to chronic knee and back pain. 
