Moser sidelined by injury
Whitehorse’s Nadia Moser began the biathlon season with a focus on qualifying for the Olympics, but a sledding accident on Dec. 7, 2021, has meant surgery and rehab for a broken fibula before she’ll be back competing on snow.
Speaking to Yukon Sports Report before the holidays, Moser said she was “devastated” about her accident.
“No one could have expected this was going to happen because we go sledding all the time in the winter and it’s OK,” Moser said about her fall while toboganning. “But this time it wasn’t OK.”
Moser’s injury happened on a Tuesday, and she was in Innsbruck, Austria, on Wednesday for surgery. After a few days of recovery time in the hospital, Moser was able to fly home to Canada the next Monday.
Spending her time in Canmore, Alta., recovering under the watchful eye of Biathlon Canada’s staff, she wasn’t overseas for the holidays – something she hasn’t been able to do in years.
“I haven’t been in Canada for Christmas for the past four years … so being here is actually really strange. To me, something is wrong if I’m in Canada in the winter – and something is,” Moser said.
Moser had started the season with a handful of World Cup races in Oestersund, Sweden, finishing 27th in the individual, 52nd in the sprint, 34th in the pursuit and 11th in the relay, depsite having a cold and dealing with congestion for those races.
“(The individual race) was the only race I did this year that I was basically 100 per cent healthy for,” Moser said. “I missed the next race because I got a cold and then I was really laying low for the next few days and not really doing much. Then the next three races … I still had congestion and I wasn’t feeling quite 100 per cent yet.”
And so, the glass is half full.
“Knowing that, I’m really happy with how the races went (with respect to) skiing,” she said. “I know it would have only gotten better. It’s exciting to know that, and it’s also sad now that I can’t see that through this year.”
Whenever and wherever Moser returns to competition, she’s sure she’ll be ready to compete.
“I’ll be back next year, at the very least, stronger and it will be better than this year.”
For now, Moser said the support from friends, family and the community has been a tremendous positive.
“Thank you so much for everyone’s support. It really means a lot. I can’t say thank you enough for all the kind words and support.”
Photo credit: Nathaniel Mah
