Kjetil Jansrud makes Norwegian Olympic ski team for Beijing 2022 in big surprise

Much to his surprise - and everyone else's - Kjetil Jansrud has made the Norwegian alpine ski team for Beijing 2022 after a remarkable recovery from a nasty crash he suffered early in December 2021.

A five-time Olympic medallist, Jansrud won Super G gold at the Sochi 2014 Olympics but it looked like his Beijing 2022 chances were over when he damaged knee ligaments in a Super G crash on 3 December in Beaver Creak, Colorado.

The 36-year-old, who had previously hinted at retiring after the end of this season, could aim at yet another Olympic medal after a rapid recovery "poured petrol on the motivational fire".

"I’m thrilled to be representing Norway in my 5th Olympic Games," he posted on social media.

"It’s been quite a journey from my crash in Beaver Creek, where I was looking at 6-9 months of rehabilitation, and up till the point [in] early January when it was apparent my mcl would heal itself, the acl seemed strong and we put our eyes on the Olympics.

"I feel lucky that my body has healed in a way that I couldn’t expect it would - the chance was there, but postponing surgery on a tiny hope isn’t always the right decision."

Kjetil Jansrud Olympics: 'Chills' at surprise selection

When the injury happened in Beaver Creek the diagnosis was bad - the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was stretched at best, with serious damage to the medial collateral ligament (MCL).

They wanted to operate on him immediately in the U.S., but Jansrud wasn’t having Christmas in a hospital far from his 1-year-old daughter Frøya and fiancée.

The news wasn’t any better in the Norwegian hospital when he got back, and he thought of postponing the surgery until January.

“Regardless of whether I operated in December or January, I would not be ready until a new season in August,” he said at a press conference with Norwegian media on Sunday 23 January.

“It was very tempting to enjoy a Christmas celebration where I was not newly operated on,” he continued.

“It was like pouring petrol on a motivational fire,” he said, and then he began to heal better than anyone could have imagined.

Eurosport Norway published that Jansrud did an interview in September with Norwegian TV that was never aired, and in it he talked about the feeling of being at an Opening Ceremony one last time, the dream of representing Norway again.

His heart was in it, and he emptied all he had into the rehab and recovery.

In early January, the news was good, the ACL was getting better, and the MCL was healing itself. Suddenly the Olympics weren’t a dream any more, they were a goal.

On Sunday 23 after the announcement that he had made the team he said:

“I definitely got chills from it… because it was more important for me to represent my country, with the flag on my chest, and be in my fifth Olympics than I might have thought.”

Practising in Kvitfjell for the last week, the knee feels fine, the specially-made splint isn’t as intrusive as he fears and his body works.

Now he’s aiming at an Olympic medal, but is realistic: “I come in as an outsider,” he says.

“You want to get to the championship after winning many races, I do not, but my ambitions are very simple. Regardless of whether I want it or not, you are sent to the Olympics to win medals, and I am aware of that myself.”

“Really, I think I was good enough for a medal before the Olympics started, if I am now, I do not know.”

Kjetil Jansrud: "Emotional rollercoaster"

It’s been a tough ride too.

“I felt that I had not got out in competition what I showed in training, and for my family it was hard, because they give up their time for me to do well as an athlete. It has been an emotional rollercoaster.”

Because of his age he felt like people were just waiting for him to throw in the towel, and that just fuelled him more.

“I tend to be quite pragmatic with myself, but not now. It is easy for people to think that I am 36 years old, get the injury, and that they then expect me to just give up.”

Can he add to an already sparkling Olympic career?