The Olympic skier took a fall while roller skiing. Initially believing his knee was just bruised, he continued for two hours until he got home.

“But the patella was broken in two,” says the Norwegian with an Irish passport, who has now completed four of six weeks in a brace.

Luck is not a common theme for Thomas Maloney Westgård. The 30-year-old from Leka in Trøndelag now believes he has exhausted his quota of misfortunes. The latest incident occurred during an unfortunate roller skiing session at home in Leka this summer.

On a gravel road with fresh gravel, he came to a sudden stop, which caused him to be thrown forward and land on his knee.

“I took quite a hit, but I completed the session and skied for another two hours,” Westgård told Trønder-Avisa. He initially thought his knee was just bruised.

It was only the next day that he realized something was wrong.

“It was hard to walk, and I had to drag my foot, so I contacted the doctor.”

Patella broken in two

At the doctor’s office, Westgård was diagnosed with a broken patella.

“The patella was broken in two, but I avoided surgery – and I am very grateful for that. The pieces are close enough together that they will heal on their own,” Westgård continued to tell the local newspaper.

He explained that the entire ski season could have been jeopardized had surgery been necessary. Now, he is forced to make new plans to be ready for the World Championships in Falun this coming winter.

“I feel like I have filled my quota of misfortunes now,” says Thomas Maloney Westgård.

The accident happened on June 10, but it is only now that Westgård is publicly discussing it. Thus, the Olympic skier has also completed four of the six weeks he must wear a brace on his leg.

“I’ve been doing a lot of alternative training lately with the skierg and strength training. Last week, I had my first double-poling session on roller skis, but I am very cautious on downhill sections.”

“I need to strengthen my knee and the surrounding muscles again, so I probably won’t be back to full form for another two to three months. It’s far from an ideal situation, but I have no choice but to look ahead and do the work to come back.”

Major setback last winter

After making significant progress in recent years, Westgård completely missed the mark last winter and experienced a setback that derailed most of his season. He never got the chance to showcase his abilities, and after the season ended, he took a long break to recharge. Additionally, the 30-year-old needed to regain his motivation.

Even though Thomas Maloney Westgård now has to skip both Toppidrettsveka and the Blink Festival, he is hopeful for the World Championships in Falun. His motivation remains intact despite the serious injury.

“I feel more privileged than ever to represent Ireland, so for me, everything is focused on Falun. The upcoming season might be one where I become even more strategic about what I compete in – as I might prioritize training over the first competition weekends to build my form back up,” he shared with t-a.no.

“It’s easy to become negative when things go wrong, and you start questioning whether you can return to the level you once were at. But I will do what I can, and I am very motivated to put in the work. I want to prove that I still have a place in cross-country skiing. I will come out of this stronger.”

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