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Jonna Sundling had just completed a monster race in qualifying for the sprint relay. The sun was baking in the press booth, I looked at the clock and thought about when Maja Dahlqvist would start.
Then I had other things to think about.
Right after the riders in the race, an unexpected Olympian stormed in just a few feet away from me.
“But wow…”
Was it a dog? A wolf? Had the animal bet before or did it slip under the paws?
Whatever it was, it gave the skaters from Croatia, Greece and Argentina a match and, subsequently, well-deserved publicity.
Not even this animal could have stopped Sweden from winning their sixth gold of the 2026 Olympics and their ninth medal for the (women’s) long distance team alone. The women have never had a better Olympics.
I didn’t understand the purpose of the Swedish Olympic Committee’s medal goal.
But still. The SOK set itself the goal of 15 medals and the most important person in the entire squad for achieving the goal was Jonna Sundling. An illness or injury to Sundling would disrupt the SOK objective.
In the sprint she was considered the favorite for gold, but lost the lead in a corner.
She was one of the medal favorites in the opening skiathlon, but was eliminated and finished in eleventh place.
In the sprint she was favorite for gold, but lost the lead in a corner and was then unable to catch up with the victorious Linn Svahn.
She had the last piece in Sweden’s big gold favorite team in the relay. Ebba Andersson’s throw from Stig Helmer scuppered the gold plans, but Sundling saved the silver.
After the relay silver, all Swedish feelings were mixed.
Silver after the first sprint Sundling smiled and said she was “very happy.” There was still something that clearly overshadowed Sundling’s silver joy.
Something found in champions who lose their title. Something you find in favorites who gave everything but didn’t get the medal that threatened.
You know the golden joy of a champion when you see it. A smile spread across his face.
When Maja Dahlqvist and Jonna Sundling stood at the top of the podium after the sprint relay, it was the “regular” championship Jonna who was standing there. You know the golden joy of a champion when you see it. A smile spread across his face. Sundling came here to win gold, the goal was achieved.
And Maja Dahlqvist couldn’t have ended her Olympic career better. The fifth Olympic medal was the first gold.
This medal was already considered to be the most frequently awarded medal in Sweden. The women’s sprint relay was Sweden’s clearest chance for gold.
But history shows how difficult it is to win the sprint relay. Sweden has been one of the gold favorites at many Olympics, but has not won an Olympic gold over the distance since 2006.
Sweden secured the gold medal by driving fast, smart and safely. Sweden was careful not to apply too much lactic acid so that the wall could hold up. Sweden made sure to take it easy on the downhills so that a fall wouldn’t turn the gold into silver or worse.
Sweden had a margin of safety, which was nice to see and always fun with a bit of excitement.
Sure, Switzerland came closer in the end, but Sweden had a margin of safety, which is nice to see and always fun with a little excitement.
And maybe Sweden could have had a really tough game if Nazgul had had someone to win the second leg.
That’s what happened with the two-year-old the uprising was declared. The Norwegian VG quickly figured out what became the big talking point of the entire Olympics on Wednesday.
According to the newspaper, it was a breed called the Czech Wolfhound (don’t ask). The owner of the dog says the dog is very nice and I have never heard another dog owner say that.
But how did Nazgul manage to make an Olympic debut?
“He just disappeared, ran away from home,” said the owner, according to VG.
Jonna Sundling thought the dog was cute.
Norwegian Astrid Øyre Slind said she had nothing to fear except a wolf or a dog. She was busy with the Swedes.
Finally: The men’s team only has five miles left, so this won’t be the worst Olympics ever. Johan Häggström and Edvin Anger ran a good race in five of six stages, but then it was noticed again that Edvin Anger’s form at the Olympic Games was not right and Sweden fell from fourth to tenth place.
Same as in the long season. But now there were at least others who had it worse.
Read more:
The Outclass: By far Swedish Olympic gold in the sprint relay
