The 28-year-old did not start at the Swedish Biathlon Championships in roller skis in Lima. The reason? During a run this summer, the Värmland native broke his foot.

Last spring, Emil Nykvist left the Swedish national team instead to pursue an independent path towards the Milano-Cortina Olympics. However, observant viewers may have noticed that the athlete did not participate in the Swedish Biathlon Championships in Lima.

It was during a run in Ramundberget in July that he was out on the mountain with a couple of friends.

“It happened when I was running at Ramundberget and twisted my foot. There was just a crack, and it hurt really bad,” Nykvist told NWT and continued:

“I tried to keep running a bit, but it didn’t work for more than maybe 50 meters before I realized this was something more than a regular sprain.”

Avoided a cast

Later, it was confirmed that a bone in the foot was broken. It is not the first time Nykvist has been disturbed by injuries during the preseason.

“It has pretty much been something every summer. Last year, for example, I had major problems with a foot, and the year before that I smashed my shoulder when I crashed on roller skis.”

The 28-year-old avoided a plaster cast and instead received a support boot, which allowed him to continue training despite his injury.

“I could, for example, bike already after three weeks. Then I have also used the ski erg and done a lot of strength training.”

Had to adapt training

But the injury has still affected him.

“Yes, absolutely. I have not been able to train nearly as hard as I wanted, and that means I’m falling behind. At the same time, there is still a long way to go until the season, so with a few weeks of good training, I’ll probably be back where I was before the injury.”

Now he has done his first ski session in the ski tunnel.

“There was some pain, but it still went well. I just have to adapt based on how it feels,” he concludes to NWT.

Also Read – Nykvist after the decision: “Nice to get a bit more freedom”

Are you interested in biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.