Therese Johaug, one of Norway’s top cross-country skiers, fell during a training round at Seiser Alm in Switzerland and was due to undergo surgery on Tuesday. Officials at Norway’s national skiing federation downplayed the seriousness of her accident, though.
“Therese will undergo a simple surgical procedure at a clinic in Davos early tomorrow, during which two to three screws will be inserted in her pointer finger bone,” the national skiing team’s doctor, Fredrik Bendiksen, stated in a press release on Monday.
Bendiksen said Johaug would not have to wear a cast and can take part in “alternative training” as soon as Wednesday.
“The injury is not worrisome and will not have any consequences for the start of the ski season,” Bendiksen stated.
Johaug’s accident occurred while running last week, when she fell and landed on her left arm. Her hand hit a rock and it resulted in a fracture in the bone leading to her finger.
Johaug, who’s won multiple Olympic gold medals, World Cup and World Championship titles, stated that it was “of course too bad that this happened,” but she was glad it was only a minor fracture. She claimed she’s otherwise had a good pre-season training session and feels like she’s in good shape, “so I’m optimistic about the alternative training and will make the best out of it,” Johaug said. “I’ll continue to train as best I can.”
She’s been taking part in a private high-elevation session along with her friend and teammate Ingvild Flugstad Østberg. Another coach said she should able to train on roller skis again within 10 days, but will need to refrain from roller-ski competition later this summer.
Johaug is Norway’s biggest hope during the upcoming ski season following news that her teammate and fellow “ski queen” Marit Bjørgen is pregnant and won’t be competing this winter.
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
