Making a comeback on the ice takes more than just grit and determination. Just ask Mikaela Shiffrin, who faced a career-threatening injury in January during a downhill crash. But two months later? She was back out there, racing down the same slopes. If you thought it was all about motivation, you might be underestimating the power of something else.

Enter Bradie Tennell. No, she doesn’t race down mountains in spandex like Shiffrin, but she’s got her own set of challenges on the ice. Figure skating isn’t exactly a walk in the park—or a glide in this case. One slip during practice can turn your world upside down. Tennell knows this struggle firsthand, but she’s back and skating strong. Her journey to this point has been long and tough, but it’s also a valuable lesson for anyone facing obstacles—showing just how much strength it takes to overcome the odds.

Bradie Tennell announces her return to figure skating in style 

On Friday night, Bradie Tennell returned to the skating rink after being MIA since October 31 last year. She didn’t look like someone making a comeback after nearly a year off. Despite battling injuries since 2022—including a brutal spiral oblique fracture in her ankle last year—Bradie showed up at the 2024 Skate America in Allen, Texas, ready to give it her all. Sure, she ended up behind the fan-favorite Isabeau Levito in the short program, but don’t let that fool you. Bradie still managed to skate circles around some pretty big names, like Watanabe Rinka, Higuchi Wakaba, and Nina Pizaronne. So how did she pull off this unthinkable feat? Well, it might just have something to do with her gritty history of bouncing back from injury like a pro.

Last year, on November 14, Tennell disclosed her injury to her fans. The blow had come to her during her warm-up session. In further depiction of the incident, she said, “I caught an edge on a bracket [an advanced type of turn in skating] and managed to break my ankle.” But the blow came earlier. According to her interview given to US Figure Skating, on October 31, she felt herself coming to the receiving end. On that day, the x-ray report showed the inner damage in her left ankle. Notably, Bradie Tennell already had experience facing an injury in her right ankle. But this time, the injury was traumatizing. According to her, the doctors required inserting a four-inch plate in her ankle region and five screws to repair the injury. The aftermath made her walk in the specialized boot. 

The two-time US champion had already been through the wringer, missing out on the 2022 Olympics due to a nasty injury to her right ankle. And just when things couldn’t get worse, she suffered an oblique fracture in her left ankle this time. But, true to form, Bradie Tennell wasn’t having any of it. After five months of recovery, she was back on the ice, proving the naysayers dead wrong. So when she stepped out for her performance last night, it was clear it meant the world to her—she was fighting back tears, and honestly, who could blame her?

A perfect comeback after spending months away from the skating rink 

Bradie Tennell acknowledges her physical therapist for her successful return to the skating rink. In an interaction, she said, “I don’t think the recovery process would have been as smooth and quick If I had another PT.” Her performance yesterday evening demonstrated her physical superiority. Throughout her turn on the rink, she miscued only one step, and it came during her under-rotation of the second half of a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination. Otherwise, Tennell did not leave any question marks on her comeback performance. She ended the event with 66.99 points, while Levito took the lead with 68.43. However, Tennell won a different race. 

In her post-event conversation, the former CS Golden Spin of Zagreb champion accepted that she had no idea of making a comeback from her zero situation after the injury. Even the toll had previously prevented her from watching the game on television. But here she is, one year later, not only racking up points but also soaking up applause from the crowd. And now, Bradie Tennell knows something she didn’t before her life is so much bigger than her love for the sport. Two years of battling injuries have transformed her, making her a stronger and more complete performer than ever.