Heidi Weng, Cross Country | Heidi Weng announces the end of her career: – I thought it was going to be the end of me

HOLMENKOLLEN (Nettavisen): Over a decade after she broke through at the top level, Heidi Weng sees the end of her skiing career. After several years of challenges related to the concussion in 2022, she gradually wants a different everyday life.

The profile will not reveal the exact date or what will be her last ski race, but has a clear idea of ​​when she will retire.

– I feel that I have been involved for a long time, I broke through as a 21-year-old. I notice that it will be okay to do something else. I don’t want to say exactly what I have planned, but I’m getting older and feel like I want to be at home more. I’ve made up my mind a bit, she says to Nettavisen.

Want more time with your girlfriend

The experienced skier has been on the national team for a number of years and was presented on Wednesday as one of the runners in the squad for the coming season. In the winter, a WC awaits at home, but she does not want to reveal whether it will be her last championship.

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However, Weng has clear thoughts about what she will do when her skiing career is over.

– Then I will be at home a lot, then there will be little farting on me. Then it’s all about being with your partner as much as possible and showing up at home. Once I put the skis on the shelf, I’m not coming back.

The follo girl is together with Kjetil Aanonsen Nygaard, who has previously been in the NRK success “Anno”.

Despite the fact that the 32-year-old has now decided on the end date of her career, she admits that she thought it would come earlier. In 2022, Weng suffered a concussion after a fall on the ice. The incident has had a heavy impact on her afterwards and the skier has had to face a number of competitions.

– I didn’t think I would continue when I was lying in bed and the headaches were at their worst. I thought it was going to be the end of me. It’s easy to say now, but I think I might have given up sooner if it wasn’t for that concussion. Rather, it made me think that it had been a victory to come back after those problems.

Read also: Fossesholm and Østberg out of the national cross-country team

Difficult years

It is especially on days with a lot of impressions and people that Weng knows the problem. This despite the fact that it is almost two years since the fall.

– If it’s a day with a lot going on and a dinner with a lot of people at the end of the day, maybe with music in the background as well, then I’m completely knocked out the next day. It’s still a challenge, but I’ve learned to live with accepting that I have a headache. It has gotten better, but it has been tough.

Weng says that the training and cross-country skiing have given her joy in life and a haven during the difficult periods. However, it has been difficult to perform and push the body because of the headaches.

Despite ailments related to the concussion in 2022, the national team runner performed well the previous season. She was then among the leading Norwegian distance runners. Among other things, she won a NM gold this winter.