Chris Mazdzer Is Ready to 'Put a Smile On' in 'DWTS' Semifinals Despite Foot Injury (Exclusive)

Chris Mazdzer and Witney Carson DWTS
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The Olympic luger suffered an injury and is trying his best to learn the choreography ahead of a triple elimination on Monday.

Chris Mazdzer is ready to give it his all in the Dancing With the Stars: Athletes semifinals, despite sustaining a recent injury.

The 29-year-old Olympic luger is currently competing with Witney Carson for a chance at the coveted DWTS Mirrorball trophy in the competition show's special, all-athlete season. But on Thursday, he suffered a minor foot injury that could affect his performance come Monday night.

"I did have a little bit of a mishap last night. I was actually moving that table stage right there, and as I was dropping it down, the leg slid out, and I took a wider stance and I just dropped it right on my foot," Mazdzer told ET on Friday night during DWTS rehearsals. "So that whole thing basically landed directly on my foot."

"Luckily, we're grateful that he didn't break his foot," Carson added. "But it's very bruised, so we'll have to take it easy for a few days, which we don't really have. So that's frightening."

Mazdzer, who went to urgent care and got X-rays following the accident, is glad that his foot's not broken, just suffering from "lots of swelling and bruising." The 2018 Olympic silver medalist did recall, however, the intense pain and panic that followed his accident.

"I just kind of hobbled over to a couch, iced it by myself. [I] didn't want anyone to know and I just limped out of here to urgent care. It was bad," he recalled. "It was to the point where, I'm not someone who takes a lot of meds, I don't like going to hospitals, but it was to the point where it was like, this is bad."

While it "hurts to go on the toe," Mazdzer said of his injury, "there's no time to sit around. We're going to have to figure out how to handle training and learning that second dance." So what does this mean for their performance on Monday's episode? Will the duo have to switch things up when they do the foxtrot?

"This is actually our first rehearsal with the injury, so I'm actually not sure the extent of his injury right now," Carson, 24, explained. "I think it's a good sign that he's walking, but I'm not sure as soon as we start dancing how bad it's going to be. It's Friday, hopefully we'll get in there and figure out what we need to change. I might have to change something. We'll see. Hopefully not."

Mazdzer explained that "moving around side to side hasn't been too bad, but I know pointing my foot, having weight on top, that's been bothering it a little bit." Unfortunately, Carson said, those are the specifics moves that they need to do in the foxtrot.

Regardless of injury, Monday will be a challenging night for all the remaining DWTS competitors, as there will be a triple elimination. The Olympian, meanwhile, will muscle through and take care of himself.

"Basically it's just, elevation, ice, rest, staying off the feet. I've been pretty much off the feet all day," he stressed. "Really, it's about being on top of everything, staying hydrated, eating well [and] giving your body every chance to recover. On Monday, no matter what, we're going a hundred percent. And yeah, I'll put a smile on. We're athletes. Injuries happen, and we just have to deal with it."

Dancing With the Stars airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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