Dutch speed skater Elisa Dul has sustained severe injuries to her shin and calf bones following a crash during training, ruling her out of this season’s competitions and the upcoming Olympic Games.
NOS, a news outlet in the Netherlands, reports that the injury occurred during a 1000-meter training session at Thialf ice stadium.
Dul described the moment of the accident, stating that after approximately 500 meters she felt her skate blade catch in the ice, which caused her to lose control and fall. She landed against the boarding with both legs, immediately realizing the severity of her injuries. Medical examinations are ongoing to determine if there is additional damage to her ankle joint.
The injuries are significant enough to end Dul’s season ahead of the Olympic qualification tournament, dashing her hopes of competing in the upcoming Winter Games. She expressed her devastation about the timing of the accident, calling it a nightmare and lamenting that the injury could not have occurred at a worse moment.
