Emotional interview

Sofia Goggia in tears: “Thought it was over”

Sofia Goggia gives an insight into her emotional world.(Bild: GEPA, instagram.com/fisalpine)

It was the biggest setback in Sofia Goggia's career. At the beginning of February, the Italian ski racer suffered a serious injury during training, after which she even expected the worst: "There were moments when I thought it was over. I couldn't deal with that kind of emotion and psychological pain."

On February 5, Sofia Goggia broke her tibia and tibial malleolus in a fall during training on a piste in Ponte di Legno in the north of the country. Goggia hit a gate with her right leg in a right-hand bend and was taken away by helicopter after the fall. The 2018 Olympic downhill champion has often struggled with injuries in the past. In 2021, she was sidelined due to a fracture of the tibial plateau in her right knee and missed the home World Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The following year, she injured her knee. She also broke her left hand at the end of 2022, but this time her career was hanging by a thread.

"The first two cruciate ligament ruptures I suffered as a young athlete were easy to put up with. In contrast, the days after my shin injury were really tough," admits Goggia in an FIS interview. She is now feeling better and her plan is as follows: "I think I'll be back on skis on the glacier in July. After that, I will travel to South America to train."

"That's why I'm going to ski for as long as possible"
 The Italian herself can hardly believe that training sessions are possible again and that she will soon be back on the two slats. "For the first 20 days, I didn't see a future for myself on skis," says Goggia, tears rolling down her cheeks. "But what I know is that you can never feel such emotions in your life as when you're at the start. That's why I'm going to ski for as long as possible."