– I think it’s almost taboo to talk about mental health and how you feel. Especially when you do well on the pitch. Linn Oppegaard is usually a cheerful and contented person. If others were to describe her, she guesses words like dedicated, disciplined, caring and kind would come to mind. She thinks someone would call her “a fighter”. Now, however, she sits thoughtfully in front of news on the tartan deck outside at the Melløs stadium in Moss. And the contrast could not be more striking. She is surrounded by the athletics backdrops she has had as her second home almost her whole life, but the training clothes are at home. She is in her prime, recent Norwegian champion, was able to participate in the EC and WC for Norway as recently as last year – but now her promising career has come to an abrupt halt. A voluntary and absolutely necessary emergency stop. The surprising news This spring came the very surprising news that last year’s Norwegian champion in the 400 meters will not be on the starting line during this year’s season. Linn Oppegaard has chosen, to the great surprise of many, to take a break from sports. AT HOME TRACK: Linn Oppegaard and the tartan deck have always been connected. Now the relationship is put to the test. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news To understand the reason for that, we have to rewind a little, specifically to the time after the European Athletics Championships in August 2022. Linn felt empty and drained after the championship, and the break after the end of the season tasted good. Noticed that something was wrong When she started training again for the 2023 season, she quickly noticed that something was wrong. The times at training were suddenly worse than she was used to. In addition, the job as a nurse took a lot of effort. It would have been best if she could focus entirely on sports. But like most people who buy an apartment: It comes with a loan that has to be serviced, and Linn had to work to get the wheels turning. HIGHLIGHT OF THE CAREER: Linn Oppegaard cheers for NM gold in June 2022. The relief can be seen in her eyes. Photo: Jon Olav Nesvold / Bildbyrån The increasing stress and pressure she felt from the training going poorly, in combination with hectic days at work, led her into a vicious spiral. She lost her spark of life, her mood worsened and she suddenly struggled to sleep at night. – Dragged me down into a dark valley In his quiet mind the first thoughts began to appear. Thoughts on whether it might have been wise to take a break from top sport. She describes that period as all-consuming. The mind kept returning to the same question: “Should I continue betting or not?” – I dragged myself down into a dark valley of negative thoughts, and it affected everyone I love, she remembers. The people around her quickly began to realize that things were not as they should be for the usually cheerful and contented bog girl. IN A GOOD PLACE: Linn Oppegaard is engaged to Timothy, next year the wedding awaits. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news “You can’t have it like this anymore” Fiancé Timothy was the one who rang the alarm bells early on. – He knows me so well that he sees when I’m down. I complained a lot, was negative, did poorly in training and couldn’t sleep. Then he said clearly, “this is not good, you have to get out of it, I support you anyway. But you can’t feel like that anymore,” she says today. After the serious talk with her fiancé, Linn chose to tell the truth about how she felt to both coach Jørn Tollefsen and her parents. She hadn’t expected anything else, but they fully supported her. It felt like a great relief and support when they thought that the best thing for her was to take a break from sports. It is important, but health and enjoyment of life are more important. On May 5, she announced that this season would go without her on the starting line. The Norwegian champion. SUCCESS: Linn Oppegaard wins NM gold in the 400 meters in 2022. She dreaded the news getting out. – I feared people would label me as weak, she remembers. Instead, it was the exact opposite reception. She can only remember getting positive feedback and kind words. – There are probably some who think “why are you doing this, you had such a good season last year”. But no one has told me that, she says with a smile. She has agreed to appear for this interview for a reason. Several times she has noticed young girls and boys giving up sports because they face adversity of various kinds. – It’s scary. That’s why she is keen to show that sport, and life, is not always a bed of roses. – There are many people who give up because they don’t get the support they need, but then they might not be able to speak up either. It’s scary, because many people don’t want to be seen as weak. “There she is complaining”. I think a lot of people think like that. WANT TO BE A ROLE MODEL: Linn Oppegaard believes it is important that young people are exposed to things other than glossy images. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news That is why she wants to be 100 per cent honest about the downturn she herself experienced after the NM gold so that young girls and boys can read that even Norwegian champions can have a hard time. – It is important to bring out that side of the sport as well, so that the younger athletes who come up are aware that it is not possible to be 100 per cent all the time. If you feel bad for a day or two, it is important that they know that it will pass, it is not like this forever, she emphasizes. And as she herself experienced: – If you keep it in, it gets worse. I was one of them myself, who wanted to keep it hidden that I was having a hard time, she says. Now she offers clear advice to young athletes who may have encountered a speed bump. – There will be times when everything is not at its best. Take a breath and think about what is good for you. If you don’t feel good about yourself, why push yourself through a workout that only makes you feel worse. Exercise if you want to, not because you feel you have to, she says. Linn Oppegaard, in the outermost lane, at full speed in the 400 meter qualifier during the European Championships in Munich 2022. Photo: Vegard Grøtt / Bildbyrån The year off has done her good. And she has put it to good use. She has kept in good shape and trained a lot, but everything has been fun. And without pressure, she has found her good mood again – and not least the joy of sports. She clearly answers “yes” to the question of whether she made the right choice. Nevertheless, the future on the tartan deck is very uncertain for the 24-year-old. – That was it, then… I take it one day at a time, really, she says. She has already started to join some joint sessions under the auspices of the club, but it is an unanswered question whether she will return or not. – What makes you insecure? – I put a lot of time into this, so I have to consider whether I am willing to sacrifice a lot of time and maybe get back to the top again, she says. – But I feel that my head is in a different place now than it was. Now I have a bad session and think “oh well, it’s going well, everyone has a bad session sometimes”. I have had very high demands on myself, but I try to avoid that now. We’ll see what happens. UNSURE: Linn Oppegaard still does not know if she is willing to sacrifice what it takes to get back to the Norwegian top. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news “Worst case” The interview is coming to an end. news asks her what is the “best case scenario” for her sports career if we fast forward five years. – Oh. Then I’m around Europe competing at the very top of the 400 metres. Maybe I have been able to take part in an Olympics. But I want to perse too, have a time down towards 51. Now the perse is 52.76, she says. – And “worst case”? – I wouldn’t call it the worst case, but if I don’t bet, then I’m probably full time. We’re getting married next year, that’s the plan no matter what happens, and maybe we’ll get a house and a child on the way eventually. – That’s not the worst case, is it? – No, it’s quite nice, too. LOOKING AHEAD: Linn Oppegaard is in a better place in life than in a long time. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news
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“You can’t be like this anymore” – Sport Langlesing
