Trondheim 2025: Seifriedsberger to “fight” for first senior global gold

“I think it's very important to never give up,” says European Games champion Jacqueline Seifriedsberger (AUT); “believe in your strength and believe in your power.”

The Olympian is rightly proud of the multiple World and European honors, together with the 23 individual World Cup podium and junior title successes, she has secured during her highly decorated career.

However, the 34-year-old, is also keen emphasise the power of perseverance and the importance of showing “fight”, particularly after suffering a series of career-threatening knee injuries which could have ended her life as an elite athlete. 

Seifriedsberger suffered her first serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2013 at the age of 22, before a second ACL tear in 2020, which was subsequently followed by medial collateral ligament (MCL) damage in 2021.

Stopping simply was not an option in her mind. 

As further evidence of her willpower, together with her enduring class, the Austrian will head into her eighth FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where she will be among the eldest competitors in the field, with genuine individual medal prospects.

Trondheim 2025 will run from 27 February to 9 March, with Seifriedsberger due to compete in both of the women's individual contests as well as two team disciplines.

She took victory in Zao (JPN) last month and has placed on the podium four times so far during the 2024/25 World Cup campaign, making it the third-best season of her career, since making her international debut 22 years ago.

“I'm proud that I managed it, to come back and fight back,” Seifriedsberger tells FIS.

“It was always a dream to do ski jumping and a dream to come back on to the podium, as well as being on the top, so I'm very, very happy that I could manage it.”

The knee injury in 2013 denied her the chance to compete at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, where women’s ski jumping made a long-awaited Olympic debut.

She would make her own bow four years later, at PyeongChang 2018, but was denied a further appearance at Beijing 2022 after testing positive for Covid-19 after landing in China.

A desire to reach a second Games is part of what is fuelling Seifriedsberger’s on-going push for the podium – and Olympic qualification mission – within the sport.

“It's very important for me,” she reveals. “I missed two of the Olympics, which makes it a very big goal for me to have a good time there (at Milano-Cortina 2026).

“Predazzo (where the ski jumping will take place in Val di Fiemme, Italy) is a nice place and I look back with good memories (having won two World Championship medals there in 2013).

“I hope I can jump again in Predazzo and it will be great again next year.”

Seifriedsberger is unsure what her future may hold beyond the 2026 Olympic Games, which means Trondheim 2025 could be her final FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

She won on Trondheim’s Normal Hill during her first competition in the Norwegian venue, during an FIS Continental Cup contest back in 2011. 

The Austrian also attained third-place there during her best season to date, in 2012-2013, a campaign which also saw her claim individual World bronze.

Seifriedsberger attained a best finish of sixth during the World Cup in Trondheim last season, but is confident of not only solo success at the World Championships, but as part of her national team.

“It's always great to jump there and (be with) all the boys and the team, so it will be a nice feeling and I hope I can make good jumps,” says the Olympian.

The Austrian women took silver, with Seifriedsberger as part of their line-up, in 2019 and 2023, with injury seeing the ski jumper miss the event in 2021, where they won gold.

She has also twice been part of a Mixed Team silver-medal-winning squad and that event may also provide an opportunity to secure the first World Championship gold medal of her career, given recent injuries suffered by athletes from Norway.

“Of course, this one (World Championship gold) is missing,” says Seifriedsberger.

“I have a small one from the juniors, in 2009, in gold, but yeah, it's our dream and our goal to fight for the gold medal and I think we have a good chance for it.”

Trondheim 2025 - FIS Nordic World Ski Championships (NOR) - Program:

27 February
20.30 – Start Qualification Women’s NH
28 February
14.00 – Competition Start Women’s NH
1 March
17.00 – Competition Start Women's Team NH
20.30 – Start Qualification Men’s NH
2 March
17.00 – Competition Start Men's NH

5 March
16.00 – Competition Start Mixed Team LH
6 March
16.20 – Competition Start Men's Team LH
20.30 – Start Qualification Women's LH
7 March
12.15 – Start Qualification Men's LH
16.15 – Competition Start Women's LH
8 March
15.45 – Competition Start Men's LH

*all times are displayed in Central European Time (CET) and are subject to change.