An Olympian’s quest for FISU Games excellence

Keidy Kaasiku, a seasoned cross-country skier from Estonia, brought her Olympic experience from Beijing 2022 to the sprint team mixed race at the 2025 Torino FISU World University Games on Sunday, 19 January.

Along with partner Kivil Ralf, the 23-year-old approached day 3 of cross-country skiing action with a focused strategy, determined to secure a medal for their nation. However, their aspirations were met with fierce competition from top teams from Germany, France and Poland, ultimately keeping Estonia off the podium, in eighth place.

Reflecting on her performance, Kaasiku admitted, “Today wasn’t my best ski at all. There were faster athletes, so it wasn’t my best day.”

Despite her experience, this marked her debut at the FISU Games and her first time competing in a mixed race. She candidly contrasted the challenges of the Beijing Olympics, noting the higher altitude in China, with the unique difficulties presented by the Pragelato course this week. “Beijing had a higher altitude and was a tad difficult, but Pragelato has its own contextual difficulties in the sport,” she explained.

A physical education student

As a physical education student at the University of Tartu, Kaasiku openly shared her preferences within the sport, revealing a stronger inclination toward distance races. “If I am being honest, I prefer the distance races like 10 km and skiathlon to the sprint,” she remarked. Alongside her twin sister, Kaidy, who is also an Olympian and studies in the same programme at the same university, Keidy arrived in Livigno a week prior to the Games for rigorous training. “At first, the training was quite difficult, but I took it day by day and improved,” she recounted.

Looking ahead, Keidy remains resolute in her goals. Her immediate focus is excelling in the women’s 20 km  mass start classic coming up on Thursday, 23 January, the final day of these FISU Games, with her sights set on a second Olympic appearance a year from now in Milano Cortina. Strengthened by her determination and experience, she is poised to keep making her mark on the global stage.

Poland’s Marcisz adds bronze to golden collection

In a thrilling conclusion to Sunday’s mixed team sprint, the Germany 1 duo of Marius Andreas Bauer and Miriam Michaela Reisnecker claimed gold in 22:46.41, followed by France 2’s Félicie Chappaz and Hugo Serot (22:49.36). Poland 1’s Izabela Marcisz and Tukasz Gazurek (22:51.50) rounded out the podium.

Izabela Marcisz, who studies at the University School of Physical Education in Wrocław, cemented her status as one of the standout athletes of the competition. The third-place finish marked her third medal of the Games, following triumphs in the women’s 10 km interval and sprint classic events, showcasing her versatility and resilience across various race formats.

While Marcisz’s performance stood out as a testament to her endurance and competitive spirit, this latest accomplishment solidifies her reputation as a rising star in the world of cross-country skiing.

The take place from 13-23 January. Watch all the competitions live on . Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Esther Owusua Appiah-Fei, FISU Young Reporter, Ghana

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

We warmly thank FISU Official Partner Qiaodan Ltd. which provides remarkable uniforms to FISU Family and International Technical Officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a valuable partner for FISU as it continued to provide its support during the postponement of events due to the global pandemic, and recently extended the relationship with FISU up to and including 2025.