Ellen Fildebrandt swims again in Skåre
Ellen Fildebrandt swam in the roughly 10-degree water at the bathing pier in Skåre, dn.se reported on Wednesday in October, defying medical predictions that she would never swim again. The 31-year-old athlete, who learned to swim at age three in the small coastal village outside Trelleborg, now aims for the Los Angeles Olympics in the summer of 2028.
Doctors previously told Fildebrandt that her career was over after a severe shoulder injury ruined her Tokyo 2020 preparations. Six different physicians informed her that she would likely struggle just to lift her own children, according to dn.se and nyhetersverige.se. The supraspinatus tendon in her left shoulder was mostly torn and hanging by threads following excessive indoor cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent overtraining.
The road back from a torn shoulder
Fildebrandt spent two years unable to move her arm at all or lift objects. The pandemic closed pools across Germany, where she lived in Saarbrücken, prompting her to cycle six hours a day in a monotone position that she believes triggered her breakdown, nyhetersverige.se reported. When pools reopened, she pushed too hard, leading to the debilitating tendon rupture.
Her husband, German Olympic swimmer Christoph Fildebrandt, urged her to keep searching for solutions, according to dn.se. They found a specialist in Stockholm who permitted a carefully managed rehabilitation process. For three years, she swam solely with kicks and her arms at her sides, enduring repeated setbacks before finally managing a 25-meter length using arm strokes in the autumn of 2023.
“I was sobbing when I touched the tile, as if I had won an Olympic gold medal,” Fildebrandt told dn.se.
Victories in open water and future goals
After rebuilding her technique from scratch, Fildebrandt returned to competition and won Vansbrosimningen in July, securing her fourth career victory in the classic three-kilometer Dalarna event and her first since the injury, nyhetersverige.se reported. She also captured both Swedish and Danish 5-kilometer open-water titles.
Next on her schedule is the European Championships in Italy in May, featuring both 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer events. The 10-kilometer race remains the sole open-water distance on the Olympic program for Los Angeles 2028.
“Just getting to stand on a start line is a win for me,” Fildebrandt told dn.se.
Questions about Ellen Fildebrandt's shoulder injury and recovery
What caused Ellen Fildebrandt’s shoulder injury?
Her injury stemmed from a torn supraspinatus tendon caused by intense indoor cycling during pandemic pool closures, followed by aggressive overtraining once pools reopened, according to dn.se and nyhetersverige.se.
How long did it take her to swim with arm strokes again?
She spent three years performing only kick sets before she managed her first 25-meter length using arm strokes in the autumn of 2023, dn.se reported.
What competitions does she have planned next?
She is preparing for the European Championships in Italy in May, where she plans to race the 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer events, with a long-term goal of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to dn.se and nyhetersverige.se.
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