With the Diggins family set to be in the crowd and a packed stadium expected, she’s hoping for an atmosphere so electric that she “won’t even be able to hear [herself] breathe.”

One of the events Diggins is most looking forward to is the 50km skate race—the first time women will compete over this distance at a World Championship. “It’s a big deal,” she says, eager to take on the challenge. “I’m excited for all the races, but I’m very excited for the 50k skate because that’s super cool.”

Despite her impressive performances under pressure, Diggins has worked hard to separate her self-worth from results. “One of the big things is actually to realize that I am not my results and to separate my self-worth from the number next to my name on a piece of paper,” she explains. “I actually am not really thinking about the outcome. It’s more about who I want to be within the team and how I want to act. I want to be someone who steadies the boat, not rocks it. Be kind, be courteous, look out for my team, and just cross the finish line knowing I gave it everything.”

Read More: Gus Schumacher: Riding momentum into the World Championships

Overcoming Injury

Her training leading up to the championships has been slightly different due to an injury—she suffered a partial rupture of her plantar fascia just before the Tour de Ski. “I didn’t know much about it before, but now I feel like everyone in the world has plantar fasciitis,” she jokes. “It felt like I was tearing my foot in half, which then I found out in the MRI, my foot was torn partly. So that made a lot of sense.”

While the injury changed her training approach, she feels lucky that she was still able to put in the volume and intensity she needed, just in different ways. “I feel like I was able to accomplish what I wanted to in the lead-up, and I’m feeling excited. No matter how it goes, I feel proud of how hard I worked and how smart I was, and how I tried to feather that line of pushing the limit without actually going off the other end.”

Evolution of Jessie

Reflecting on her growth as an athlete, Diggins acknowledges how her racing style has evolved. “I think I have matured a lot as an athlete and as a skier. It’s probably quite painful for me to watch my technique back in 2013, but you know what? I skied with a lot of guts, and that has not changed. The heart and the effort and the way I approach skiing with a full heart and a lot of joy—that has not changed. But I’d like to think I’ve gotten a little more sophisticated with my tactics. I hope I’ve learned a lot more and I’m also in a different position in life now. So I think I am able to see the bigger picture a lot more now than I was when I was 21.”

Taking It One Event at a Time

She plans to take things one race at a time, adjusting based on how she feels and how her foot holds up after the Skiathlon. “It’s going to evolve based on how I feel and also, quite honestly, how my foot holds up after the Skiathlon. We’re going to see what happens, but I will not be racing all the races. I would love to, but I’m going to sit at least one.”

With the World Championships kicking off in just a couple of days, Diggins is ready to give it everything. “You’re going to see a really tired Jessie at the finish lines—that, I can promise.”

FACTS 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships

• When: Wednesday, February 26, to Sunday, March 9, 2025
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Trondheim, Norway
• What: FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025

Read More: Cross-country skiing program for the Trondheim World Championships