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It had never happened before that a Swedish ski team won six out of six possible gold medals. It happened last year at the World Cup.
It has never happened before that a Swedish team started an Olympic race with four clear gold candidates. It’s happening here and now in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
That Norway has not managed the generational change is a cause. The fact that Russia is closed except for one “neutral” driver is another matter.
But the main reasons are Ebba Andersson, Jonna Sundling, Frida Karlsson and Moa Ilar. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they made the Olympics the World Cup.
There were no Cuckoos meeting with the media before the championship.
It is impressive the harmony and relaxed attitude they exude in the face of expectations. The smiling team at the press conference before the Olympic premiere was a stark contrast to previous gold candidates.
Charlotte Kalla and Stina Nilsson, Johan Olsson and Marcus Hellner. There were no cuckoos hitting the media in the days leading up to the championship. It was collected, closed and stingy. As if these gold contenders had so much more to lose than to gain.
The current team takes skiing just as seriously, but seems to realize that if things don’t go well, it’s not the whole of life.
Although it’s easy to say now.
An Olympic start without a single Swedish medal would bring dark clouds over the valley.
It’s not just in ice hockey that changes happen quickly. An Olympic start without a single Swedish medal would mean that dark clouds are gathering, even if all forecasts say the weather will only get better.
The weather is the biggest threat to Swedish success.
In the 2010s, Norway often started with four strong gold candidates in the women’s races. In some cases they were still far from victory when a butter boom broke out.
If Sweden doesn’t get the material There will be no Swede on the podium. During the week the herding team was/are forced to test skis in all weather and snow conditions. There is still no guarantee of success in this material sport. Especially not at the Skiathlon on Saturday, where there is both classic and skate skiing.
Since Therese Johaug has retired from the sport, it is uncertain how the race will turn out. As long as she started, everyone knew she wanted to speed up the race.
Now everyone knows they don’t want Jonna Sundling climbing the last hill in the stadium with her jump skates.
She hopes her story about her bulimia and her journey to better health can inspire others.
Jonna Sundling is my golden favorite. In front of the skater who represents the other threat to Swedish success – Jessie Diggins.
At the pre-race press conference, the American spoke powerfully about how she hopes her story about her bulimia and her journey to better health can inspire others. Before her final championship, she also spoke powerfully about worries for her loved ones during the unrest back home in Minnesota.
As the race progresses she’ll buck, It will turn against her, it will look like she is sliding into the scoresheet abyss, but she will never be counted out.
If it doesn’t turn out like it did in Trondheim a year ago. Then poor skiing in wet snow ruined Jessie Diggins’ World Championships.
Not even bad weather could stop the Swedes.
Finally: As the skiers tested their skis on Friday in increasingly wet snow, the following could be heard between the two world stars from Sollefteå:
– What do you say to the front, Frida?
– We like that, Ebba.
And Ebba Andersson’s father Thomas “Oljan” Eriksson explained:
– It’s starting to look like Trondheim.
Read more from Johan Esk here.
