Germany's Hoefl-Riesch will race women's slalom despite illness

Published Feb. 20, 2014 4:52 a.m. ET

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KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia -- Defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch will race in Friday's Olympic slalom despite being slowed by a cold and breathing problems.

Germany's Alpine spokesman Ralph Eder tells The Associated Press "she trained in slalom this morning and she will race."

Hoefl-Riesch already has one gold and one silver medal from the Sochi Games, along with two golds from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

She won the super-combined and finished second to Anna Fenninger of Austria in the super-G. However, she sat out Tuesday's giant slalom.

One more gold for Hoefl-Riesch would equal Croatian great Janica Kostelic's record of four career Olympic titles.