Ice queen Emma scoops gold and silver in Italian job!

The 22-year-old returned home to Katesbridge on Monday evening with two more medals in her hand luggage – a gold and a silver.

The ice queen scooped them during a weekend event in Trento, Italy; the Adult International Cup.

She won the Silver Young Adults Artistic category, then finished runner-up in the Silver Young Adults Freeskate.

RECOVERY

But that’s not even half the story!

Just a couple of weeks ago, it looked like Emma would be staying at home when she sustained a freak knee injury.

After ending up in hospital, she made the most remarkable recovery, helped by intensive physio.

Good to go, but then she had to endure a marathon 14-hour journey to get to Italy and – along with a few colleagues – seriously considered withdrawing from the event due to the disrupted preparations.

Emma told Chronicle Sport:

“We were just exhausted, we didn't really think we could have skated. Some of us were thinking of withdrawing because of tiredness, but gave it a go.”

A sensational performance clinched gold, but Emma was equally delighted with her silver.

"I don't know how I came second, because I had a fall, didn't have a great skate at the start, but was able to pull it back after a couple of seconds and sort myself out!

“I had that really bad knee injury and I wasn't even sure I was going to go to Italy. I was up skating one morning and had literally just got on to the ice (at Dundonald), tripped over my toe and fell and hit my knee. The swelling on it was awful.

“The hospital had put me in a knee brace from my hip down to my ankle. So, the fact that I was able to go and skate in Italy - I thought I was even winning at that.”

She recently received a major boost, sponsorship from her teacher and personal trainer, Linda Cassidy!

Emma adds:

"Once I see my coach next Monday I'll be able to take it from there, what events I'm doing next. I'm on a roll now so I want to keep that momentum going.”