Calgary's Kaiya Ruiter, 16, competing at World Junior Figure Skating Championships

In November 2021, Calgary figure skater Kaiya Ruiter suffered a devastating injury.

Her skates tangled together in the middle of a jump in practice, she said, and she ended up falling on top of her skate's blade.

It tore through her calf muscles. But more than pain, Ruiter, 16, said she felt disappointment.

"Especially after the pandemic, when I just wanted to be on the ice, and then to have to get off the ice again was just so frustrating," she said in an interview with The Homestretch.

"It's been a fight, but I'm just so proud of where I am now…. I'm just so happy to be back on the ice."

Since her return, she's won a silver medal in the senior women's event at the National Skating Championships in January and a silver medal at her senior international debut in Austria in November. 

Now, she's the only Canadian competitor skating in the women's category at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, taking place Feb. 27 to March 5 at WinSport. She's also the only Albertan competing.

WATCH | Kaiya Ruiter performs at the national skating championships in January:

Scott Davis, Ruiter's coach, said she's the most driven athlete he's ever worked with in his 20 years of coaching. In her early teens, she'd already mastered all her triple jumps, he said, and has just continued to progress.

"I've never experienced anyone that has that drive and passion for the sport and also the self-motivation, which is amazing," he said.

"I'm really excited for her to have another opportunity to compete on the world stage and also to do it here in Calgary."

Although Ruiter will be doing her best to put up a good score, she said she's focused on enjoying the moment and improving on her own personal best.

She said she's proud just to be