Speed skater Ragne Wiklund hospitalized with appendicitis

Norwegian speed skater Ragne Wiklund experienced a sudden medical emergency that required immediate hospitalization and surgery. The 26-year-old athlete was training when she began experiencing severe pain, which she initially dismissed as menstrual cramps.

"I thought it was menstrual pain," Wiklund told NRK. "So I'm cycling intervals, but it hurts so much. So in the end, I realize something is wrong here, and then I might as well go to the emergency room."

Her condition quickly escalated, leading to her being sent directly to the hospital for an operation. Doctors removed an inflamed appendix. The incident forces Wiklund to take a break from her training regimen.

Wiklund has been a prominent figure in the resurgence of Norwegian speed skating. In March, she became the first Norwegian woman to win the allround world championship since Laila Schou Nilsen in the late 1930s. At the Olympics in Italy, she secured a silver medal in the 1500m and 3000m races, along with a bronze in the 5000m.

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I thought it was menstrual pain. So I'm cycling intervals, but it hurts so much. So in the end, I realize something is wrong here, and then I might as well go to the emergency room. There I am sent straight to the hospital and operated on. It escalated quickly.