– I was quite annoyed with myself for a few days. You get worried right away and then I thought; Oh, it’s so stupid to run and play this football, Lundby told news. The ski jumper has spent the spring and summer playing football for Kolbu/KK in the 4th division. This as part of the physical training leading up to this year’s season. But in a match against Vardal in June, what she had feared most happened. – It was a real bang. A duel that even with a twist in the knee. Right then and there it went away after a few days, but then it flared up again. The feared meniscus had come loose Three weeks ago, ironically enough, the table was set for the return match against Vardal. Lundby played the whole game, but when she went to bed in the evening, her body stiffened and her knee began to swell. MENISCUS: Maren Lundby feared that the meniscus had become detached and that she would have to operate on her knee after she injured herself on the soccer pitch. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news – I got a few different messages at the start. At one point I was unsure whether the meniscus was still there or whether it had simply torn or loosened. In that case, it would have meant surgery and at least six months of rehabilitation. – Then I calculated until the month of March, and that would have been bad timing, said Lundby. The women’s jumping season will be concluded with ski flying in Vikersund on 17 March next year. A show jumping race that is one of Lundby’s big goals for the season. – There were a couple of days where I was in a bit of a bad mood, Lundby answers about the days that followed. On her own birthday on 7 September, the silver winner from the WC in Planica was sent for a check-up to take an MRI of her knee. Fortunately, the images showed that the meniscus was not torn. But she had made up her mind about one thing anyway; – I have come to my senses and ended my football career for this year. So I probably have to think extra carefully about whether I’m going to play that much more football before my jumping career is over. Inherent risk In her young days, Lundby was a promising soccer player before she chose to bet everything on jumping. Coach Jermund Lunder admits that the risk of injury by letting the 29-year-old onto the football pitch was a risk they assessed. POSITIVE: Jermund Lunder is coach for Lundby in Lillehammer. Photo: Erik Johansen / NTB – But we felt that the positive effect of football was greater than the risk. I had hoped it would happen without damage. Lundby changed her training completely after she had weight challenges after the WC gold in Oberstdorf in 2021. Afterwards, the ski jumper has trained much more fitness than before, which has meant hours of long ski trips and runs in the forest alone. – It is quite hard on the head. Getting some free training by playing football with good friends – that effect should not be underestimated, Lundby replies. Will be the best in the world again When news meets Lundby in Lysgårdsbakken in Lillehammer, the smile and the focus on jumping are back. She had to refrain from the national team meeting in the WC hill with the national team in Trondheim last week. But can now train more as normal. – It goes well. But I have to be a bit careful with the load and make sure I get enough rest between sessions. The World Cup silver winner from the big hill in Planica this winter is not short either and has set himself a high goal for the season. – I want to be the best in the world again. Winning the World Cup overall is the goal. And then build up towards ski flying in Vikersund towards the end of the season. That is the big highlight this year. It would have been nice to have the longest jump there this year. The women were allowed to fly in Vikersund for the first time last year. Canadian Alexandria Loutitt jumped 222 meters and thus holds the world record for women. – Yes, it stands for fall, laughs Lundby. SILVER: The 29-year-old took an emotional silver during the WC in Slovenia this year. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
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