European champion steeplechaser Topi Raitanen returns to running after year-long injury battle

Finnish European champion steeplechaser Topi Raitanen is back on track, literally, after a grueling year-long battle with an ankle injury. The 30-year-old athlete announced the significant milestone of being able to run in spikes again, a feat he hadn't accomplished since June 2025. While his ankle isn't completely pain-free, the situation is stable enough for him to resume high-intensity training.

Raitanen's journey back has been arduous. The initial injury occurred in spring 2024 when he landed awkwardly after a water jump. Although he could still train and compete through the summer of 2024, his European Championships and Olympic dreams ended in disappointment as the persistent ankle issue worsened. Intensive treatments throughout the winter of 2025 failed to resolve the problem.

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Oh, how I've missed this.

The breakthrough came with a CT scan that revealed a fractured navicular bone, a diagnosis that was a significant mental blow. This led to a lengthy rehabilitation process involving hydrotherapy and spinning. Raitanen finally began running again in January, working with experienced physiotherapists.

Despite the challenges, Raitanen found a silver lining. His recovery coincided with the birth of his daughter in November 2024. Unable to attend overseas training camps for extended periods, he was present for his child's first months, providing a welcome counterbalance to the often monotonous rehabilitation. "Normally I would have been on training camps abroad for months in the winter, but now I have been at home and got to follow my child's first months up close," Raitanen shared, highlighting the unexpected joy found during his recovery.

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Normally I would have been on training camps abroad for months in the winter, but now I have been at home and got to follow my child's first months up close.