A professional ice skater who almost lost her life in horror fall is back on the ice and hopes to compete in the Olympics.

Solene Mazingue, 20, was practising for a competition with her partner, Marko Jevgeni Gaidajenko, 21, when she was knocked unconscious.

Marko was holding Solene up above his head when his blade got stuck in a groove in the ice and he dropped her - and she landed on her head.

Solene suffered a skull fracture and a right epidural hematoma with the doctors warning she "may not make it". "

The Internal bleeding and pressure on her brain meant that she might die.

Solene was blue-lighted to Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Canada, where she underwent an operation, spent five days in ICU before being discharged and is still in recovery.

Now Solene has stepped back onto the ice - for the first time in three months - and she is preparing to skate again.

Solene, an athlete and law student, from Versailles, France, said: "It almost took my life."

"I had a broken skull and I had a bleed on the brain."

"It was a tough time but I always stay positive, my family and partner, Marko, 21, have been such a huge support."

"I am still recovering, it took me three months to get back onto the ice."

"I was scared and excited. I was ready to get onto the ice and walk with Marko and my coaches."

In September 2022, Solene was ice skating with her partner Marko when she fell on her head after Marko - who was holding her up - got his blade stuck in a hole in the ice.

Solene was rushed to the hospital where she had an operation to save her life - the doctors repaired her skull fracture and a right epidural hematoma - a life-threatening condition - which took three and a half hours.

Marko, an athlete and student, from Tallinn, Estonia, said: "I was terrified when it happened. "

"We didn't realise how serious it was."

"Her head started to swell and she was screaming from the pain she was in."

"We immediately called an ambulance, I was waiting in the hospital for around 20 hours before I got told any information."

"The surgeon then came over to me and told me he didn't think Solene would make it."

"I was in shock, three hours ago I was talking to her and now she might die."

The surgery took three-and-a-half hours and the neurosurgeon repaired a skull fracture and a right epidural hematoma.

Solene remained in intensive care for the next five days, with no word on the outcome of the surgery or whether she would be able to skate again.

She had three months of physio before she got back onto the ice and is still in recovery.

She said: "I was having physio and having to balance work it was difficult."

"We would work on how to bring my muscle back as I lost it all laying in a hospital bed."

"In terms of brain recovery, I am still trying to recover. It might take me two years to fully recover."

"Every day I write down what I have done that day and I have started painting as I find that helps a lot."

"Because of the accident, I find that it is harder to think about things and process stuff."

After three months of physiotherapy, Solene and Marko returned back onto the ice and hope to be able to represent Estonia at next year's Olympic games.

She said: "I was so scared that I would fall again. I am better but if I fall one more time that will be critical for me."

"We don't know the real outcome yet as it has changed my life forever."

"Right now we work differently on ice, we pay attention more and have a stronger connection."

"I don't like to say it but the accident helped us and it brought us together."

"With hard work, we will be back to where we used to be."