ISU

During a fall after a routine overtaking maneuver at a race in Heerenveen (NED) last October, France’s Tifany Huot-Marchand suffered an extremely serious injury, breaking her C5 spinal cord. This is the fracture that often leads to paralysis and quadriplegia. 

Tifany Huot Marchand (FRA) rescued during the 2022 Dutch Open Short Track in Heerenveen (NED) @GettyImages

I remember absolutely everything

She says now from her hospital in France.

I would have preferred to pass out, but I didn’t. It was a real trauma. It was hell. I was immediately paralyzed. I didn’t feel any pain. I was very scared because I didn’t feel anything at all.

At her bedside, Huot-Marchand was told the words every athlete fears.

My surgeon told me I would probably never walk again. In my head, it was unthinkable. I swore to myself that I was going to do everything to walk, to exercise and to skate again.

Her rehabilitation, however, has defied the medics. Huot-Marchand is already walking and jogging lightly. A return to the ice does not seem like a pipe dream.

The rehabilitation is far from over. Directly after the accident, everything was very hard. I lost my body. I had to relearn absolutely everything. There are many difficult moments.

I will soon leave the center but I will have to continue the care. Here, everything is going well and I am infinitely grateful to the people who take care of me.

Huot-Marchand was joined by her team manager, boyfriend, mother, twin sister and god-daughter after the accident.

There have been many happy moments. I was touched that the Dutch team came regularly to the hospital to see me.

With my family and my boyfriend, in improbable situations we found a way to laugh. That did a lot of good for my head. And I will never forget my first shower after the accident. It was one of the best moments of my life.

Huot-Marchand has chronicled much of her rehab on Instagram.

I believed strongly in staying optimistic. I fought, every day. Always staying positive, even though I was crying a lot. I think that helped me a lot, that mindset.

I’m really happy that the rehabilitation is going well, even though I know it’s still going to be very long. I also know that I will have consequences for life. I will have to learn to live with them.

Her teammates have been inspired by her battle.

She is progressing a lot, day by day, and we pray that she will soon be back with us, on the ice.

Says Aurelie Leveque, with whom Huot-Marchand won a European Championship Relay gold in 2021. 

Tifany Huot Marchand, Aurelie Monvoisin, Gwendoline Daudet, and Aurelie Leveque (FRA) pose during the 2021 ISU European Short Track Championships in Debrecen (HUN) @ISU

She is a close friend, and we were shocked by what happened. She was a leader for us and a big inspiration for me. She is a strong woman, and we all believe in her. She feels she will come back and be our teammate again.

Huot-Marchand will soon be at a specialized rehabilitation center for high-level athletes.

If I am allowed, and it is possible, I would like to resume skating in June, and prepare for next season

Tifany Huot Marchand (FRA) competes during the 2022 ISU World Short Track Championships in Montreal (CAN) @ISU

Everyone at the ISU wishes Huot-Marchand a speedy recovery – and hopes her progress will allow her to reach her dreams and goals.