- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
I don't really know what to say now
I don't really know what to say now
Me too Take care!
I´m really really sad. Feel like a real heartache, like a sudden heart break. I guess this was a tough decision for him. Giving up just before OG, and always fighting so hard to go to WC.
You too! I´m really grateful you made this thread, that we could enjoy his last journey as a skater together and that we can share and follow whats next here. I would be more then happy to continue contribute in this threadMe too Take care!
It must have been a really tough year for him skating-wise... But after seeing that 3S-1Eu-3S I didn't think he'd quit so suddenly.
At least I'm glad I created this fan fest. I hope we'll have more things to talk about in the future even after his retirement.
I had that thought too, because he hasn´t been sharing much from the rinks the recent months, and seem to rather go outdoor skating than indoors. I think at least it must have been in his mind for some months already, but maybe he wanted to see how the pandemic developed before he made the decision.I wonder if he had made up his mind before the video evaluation was announced (he didn't even enter any of competitions taking place in February) but then decided to give it one more shot.
Thank you for the translation. Sad to hear about Sondre's condition and yours too And it's really sad to read about this season in general....Sondre has done an interview with the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten about why he retired and what his future plans is. It was such a heartfelt and honest interview that made my cry. Sondre openly tells he has the Chron´s disease, IBD, and that he had a lot of stomach pain this spring. This made me cry because I have IBD myself, so I know a lot about it! And just... having IBD and being a figure skating, that must be so challenging! I had no idea...
Sondre also says he wants to study Journalism in the autumn! That is such a good choice for him!
So I want to try to translate the interview. Here is the original interview.
The progress of retirement started already in February-March, it was time to apply for the yearly Summer camp in his club, and his mother, which is a coach in the club, noticed Sondre hadn´t signed up. So she asked Sondre if he didn´t want to sign up, and he said "I don´t know". Then they sat down together and talked more, and then a little later, he told his coach he didn´t know. By the end of the conversation he had already told her he wanted to retire.
Looking forward to new chapters
The interview is done some weeks after he announced the retirement. Most people hoped he would continue some years, but it´s not unusual to retire early as a figure skater. At the same time Sondre could still have a lot of good years ahead as a figure skater.
- To be honest, it feels very good to retire, I was so afraid I would regret myself, but it felt like the weight fell from my shoulders when I told my coach.
It takes a lot of training and dedication to succeed in figure skating. Sondre think it is great to finally think about other matters. This autumn he will start studying journalism.
A tough year
Behind the decision there is nothing dramatic, except the strict travel restrictions made it difficult to compete in any competitions in 2020. A lot of them was cancelled. He wasn´t as well trained either. He had a lot of stomach pain, due to Chron´s disease.
With all of this, Sondre decided to not compete the rest of the season when European Championship was cancelled. At that time, the journey to OG became long.
He could make a try to get 1 og 6 spots in September, but decided not to due to lack of training and competitions.
Hoping the prejudices disappears
Sondre is a pioneer in the male figure skating environment in Norway. In February 2019 he was the first male figure skater in Norway to win the Nordic Championship since 1962. That is one of his career highlights.
But now his career is over, 2 years after. It´s obvious he is a big star in the sport. When the 23 year old announced his retirement in social media, he was overwhelmed with support from everybody who had something to do with him.
And then the feelings came.
- It was so many nice messages from everybody who had something with my career to do or who watched me skate. I got e-mail from skating parents with pictures from their child and me. All this love meant a lot to me. I cried for 3 days, he laughs.
Hopes to contribute in the sports future
Eventually Sondre is going to meet with the skating federation. He hopes he can use his experience and knowledge to help promising talents in the future. He particular wants to see the sport recruit more male skaters. He met a lot of prejudices in his childhood, because he wanted to skate.
- I think a lot would have quitted figure skating if they had experienced the amount of bullying I experienced in elementary school, but for me it worked opposite. The ice hall was the place I felt good. Everybody there could see that figure skating was the thing for me.
He hopes it´s easier now for the young and promising talents.
- I think it´s more accepted to do something different now.