Biathlete fights for his career after tongue transplant

Juliane Fruhwirt is deeply affected by an accident: painful surgery, tongue transplant, job loss. Her sports career is also on the brink of the abyss. But the biathlete fights on – and wants to inspire others with her story.

Despite her tongue transplant as a result of a serious racing accident, biathlete Juliane Fruhwirt wants to make a comeback in sports this year. “I want to prove myself in the World Championships. But it is no longer a must, I am completely free and have a whole new gratitude, not only in sports,” the 26-year-old told the German press agency. Despite all the dramatic circumstances, she gained many positive experiences from the accident. “What others think or expect of me no longer weighs so heavily on me. That is a good feeling.”

On March 21, the skier from Gotha was training for a sprint race in long-distance skiing in the Austrian Galtür under unfavorable conditions. During a descent, she hit her left pole in the face. She pierced her left cheek, tore off a piece of her tongue, broke her jaw and jawbone and broke her front teeth.

Fruhwirt: “Looked like Quasimodo”

She pulled the pole out herself and thought, “Damn it, the race is over.” It was only when she realized she couldn’t call for help that she knew it was serious. She was flown by helicopter first to a clinic in Zams and then to Innsbruck for surgery.

“During the surgery, I had the worst pain of my life. The piece of my tongue was still stuck in the pole. My tongue was so swollen after the surgery that my jaw joints were sticking out,” said Fruhwirt, who won gold in the sprint at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics. After having part of her tongue transplanted, she had to learn to swallow and drink again. “I looked like Quasimodo.” A feeding tube rejected her; she wanted to fight. And she succeeded. Now, all that remains is a small scar on her cheek as a reminder of the injury.

Her parents, friends and home trainers, including Bernhard Kröll, who previously trained Magdalena Neuner and Laura Dahlmeier, were always by her side. She is very grateful to all of them. Fruhwirt started preparing for the new season again in May. 100 days after the accident, she took part in the Stubai Ultratrail K 70 and completed an impressive 63 kilometers.

Civil servant position at customs lost

After the accident, she lost her official position at Customs due to poor performance in the previous season. That was tough. But she saw it as an opportunity and started working independently in the coaching sector. “That way, I can learn a lot, I can help my clients realize their dreams.”

Fruhwirt has not given up on her dream of the World Cup. But above all, she wants to help others with her story. “The accident showed me that we have the chance to inspire people in competitive sports,” says the 26-year-old. Many wrote to her that her story had given them strength and motivation. “If I have helped just one person, that is worth it to me.”

Despite her setbacks, biathlete Juliane Fruhwirt plans to compete in the biathlon discipline this year, showing her resilience and determination. Her love for biathlon extends beyond the World Cup, as she hopes to inspire others with her stories of overcoming adversity.

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