Last February, Loena Hendrickx of Belgium underwent surgery on her ankle and did not know if she ever will compete again. Then she qualified an Olympic quota place at the ISU Skate to Milano Qualifier in Beijing in September by taking bronze there and continued her comeback with another bronze at the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy. Now she is set to go to her third Olympic Winter Games.

Loena Hendrickx skates in the ISU Skate to Milano Qualifier in Beijing, China in September 2025 ©ISU

“I’m proud of myself,” Hendrickx said. She has all reason to be.

The 2024 ISU European Champion and trailblazer for Figure Skating in Belgium was fighting ankle problems for a long time, ever since she broke it back in 2019. Finally, she realized that there was no other option than to stop. 

“Before the surgery I didn't know why I was not competing how I wanted or training how I wanted or how I was used to because it wasn't going well,” Hendrickx recalled. 

“Last year, I wasn't really in shape, my body wasn't in shape and of course the mental health was very bad at that moment. Training wasn't going well and I'm used to have pretty good trainings, clean trainings and I didn't have that at that moment.” 

 As things did not improve, Hendrickx dropped out of one competition after the other in the past season and saw different doctors, trying to find the source of the problem. 

“I twisted my ankle again and that was a good thing because that's why we found out that my ankle wasn't strong enough. The ligaments were so loose that I really couldn't do the explosive jumps anymore,” she recalled.

Since the right ankle was affected, Hendrickx had especially problems with the Flip and Lutz, two jumps that are absolutely necessary to be competitive at the highest level. The ankle was so weak that she was not able to walk on her toes. The doctors told the skater that she would not be able to carry on for another season with the damaged ankle. 

“It was kind of a relief because I knew there was a chance that I could be on my level again,” Hendrickx explained. “I was just so happy that they found something and that there was a chance.”

Loena Hendrickx after her performance in the ISU Skate to Milano Qualifier in Beijing, China in September 2025 ©ISU

She got her chance and she used it. The surgery and the subsequent break helped her to get back on track not only physically but also mentally. “I really had my time to recharge and I feel that everything is easier now, that my practice is going easier, the jumps are easier and I really enjoy to skate again,” she noted.  

However, the way to recovery was not that easy. Following the surgery in February while her competitors got ready for the ISU World Championships 2025 which served as the main qualifier for the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, Hendrickx had to recover. It took several weeks before she put on skates again. 

“It was in May, the first steps, the first five minutes, three times a week,” she recalled. “In the beginning, I just could skate straight lines. Then I could use the edges a little. Then I could do a three turn, rockers and counters. It was very boring in the beginning, because it took so long.  But it was good that I really took my time, so I didn't have any setbacks during the rehab.”

Loena Hendrickx skates in the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy 2025 in Osaka, Japan ©ISU

During all these weeks for slowly recovering and rebuilding, Hendrickx kept her goal in mind. 

“First of all I did the surgery because I wanted to be on my level again, I wanted to go to my third Olympics,” she shared. 

“That was the goal and I think that goal really kept me going and also my love of the sport, it's just the biggest motivation I have. That's why I worked so hard and I just want to like be happy this season and be proud of myself and of my achievements.”

Hendrickx then followed up with the bronze at NHK Trophy, which was another important stepping stone on her comeback road. 

Loena Hendrickx won a bronze medal in the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy 2025 in Osaka, Japan ©ISU

“I prepared super hard to do the best I can but I know I can do better. I’ll keep that in mind and hope to do better in the next competitions,” she said.

Loena Hendrickx has proven in Osaka and in Beijing that she is back in business and ready to stir up things again. Her next event is the ISU Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, Finland November 21-23. There, Hendrickx can fight for a spot in the ISU Grand Prix Final.