Granerud's World Championship Dream Shattered: 'I Immediately Knew Something Was Wrong'

Halvor Egner Granerud fell during a training session in the warm-up area at the ski World Championships in Trondheim, resulting in a serious knee injury. In an interview at the Norwegian Ski Federation’s offices at Ullevaal Stadium, he explained how he lost control of his ski after taking off on a medium-length jump (around 130 meters on the large hill at Lillehammer).

Granerud recounted the incident: "I tried to regain control of my ski but ended up hitting the landing on my stomach. I immediately knew that something was wrong." The hope of competing in the World Championships on home soil was therefore dashed in an instant.

Medical examinations, including stability tests and imaging, confirmed that the injury is consistent with a ligament tear in the inner part of his knee, where the ligament has detached from its bone attachment. Surgery is planned for next week, followed by three to four months of rehabilitation.

With Granerud being one of six athletes slated to represent Norway at the championships, an alternate will replace him. Robert Johansson and Fredrik Villumstad have been mentioned as potential replacements. Despite the setback, the support team is focused on aiding Granerud's recovery while preparing the remaining athletes for the competition.

Granerud, 28, has previously won three silver medals at World Championships in Nordic events, including an individual silver in Oberstdorf in 2021. The Championships are scheduled from 26 February to 9 March in Trondheim.