Loena Hendrickx: “If I can be at my level in September, I don’t have to be afraid of the rest of the season”
Her comeback has been long and arduous.
After competing at the Shanghai Trophy, Hendrickx withdrew from her Grand Prix assignments, as well as the 2025 European and World Championships.
After years of ankle pain, Hendrickx finally felt like she had to deal with a 2019 fracture that had never properly healed. In February, she underwent surgery to repair damaged ligaments.
That surgery ruled her out of the World Championships, figure skating’s main Milano Cortina qualifying event. She didn’t feel she had any other choice, however.
“It was that or never compete again,” she said at the time. “And I’m not ready to stop.”
On the road back to competition since returning to the ice in early summer, Hendrickx is feeling good – and reinvigorated.
“The pain was gone. I could do things I hadn’t been able to do for years,” she said. “There’s still one jump I’m working through mentally, but I feel strong again.”
Beijing will test that strength in a high-stakes competition, where it will be about more than just her return to the ice.
Despite the pressure, Hendrickx says she’s keeping focused on the present. If she can make it through this week, it could pay off the rest of the season.
“If I can be at my level in September, I don’t have to be afraid of the rest of the season,” she says.
For Hendrickx, there’s redemption to be had.
Proving she still belongs is on the table, too.
“I missed the chance to qualify for the spot myself last season. That’s still hard,” Hendrickx admitted. “But I’ve done the work. I’ve come back stronger. I’m just excited to show what I can do again.”