Norwegian ski jumper Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold shares mental‑health battle and heart surgery

Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, a 29‑year‑old Norwegian ski‑jumping star, finished tenth in the sprint at the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics and placed 46th and 71st in the 15‑km and 50‑km cross‑country events. Despite winning 11 World Championship medals – four of them gold – she said the past two seasons have been marked by severe mental strain. In a national radio podcast she explained that relentless self‑imposed perfectionism turned enjoyment into anxiety, even causing a fear of ski jumping. The pressure also triggered heart‑rate irregularities, leading to a complex cardiac operation in which she was given large doses of adrenaline and her heart was stimulated electrically for several hours. Tandrevold now believes the most difficult period is behind her and hopes to return to competitive ski jumping.

Her story highlights the intersection of elite sport, mental health, and medical intervention, underscoring the challenges athletes face when performance expectations clash with personal well‑being.