Ingvild Flugstad Östberg had an injury in 2020.

First, the 30-year-old suffered an overload injury with a stress fracture in his foot.

She returned to training with the Norwegian national team in June - but then she was injured again.

Just before the start of the season last autumn, the next setback came: Östberg did not meet the medical team's health requirements and was forced to stand over the entire season, including the World Cup in Oberstdorf.

Feared that his career was over

When it was darkest, the star feared that his career was over.

- It was in both Ingvild's and my thoughts last year when it was at its worst, that she would not come back, says Norwegian national team coach Ole Morten Iversen now to VG.

- But she has that inner drive.

She thinks it's so much fun to be part of the team, so the training to come back has not cost her as much as many might think.

I think she has handled this well, she has pushed aside what she can not influence.

The goal is the 2022 Olympics

Now, eight months after the last fracture, the foot can withstand barefoot running again.

And the big goal for Östberg, who won five World Cup medals in Seefeld 2019, is now to be back in top form before the Olympics in Beijing next year.

- Physically, she has not lost anything.

Ingvild has trained while the others have competed.

It has not been a problem to ski, says Iversen but also states:

- Ingvild has understood the seriousness, that the injury can be long-lasting, so based on this experience she can make better decisions now.

CLIP: Östberg talks about the injury: "Scary thoughts" (July 31, 2020)

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Ingvild Flugstad Östberg: "Things could have been done differently ..." Photo: NRK