Cross-Country Skiing: Talent's Monster Qualifier – Through to Quarterfinals: 'I Knew It'

Anton Grahn, 20, delivered an impressive performance in the men’s sprint qualifier in Cogne, Italy. He finished in third place, ensuring his place in the quarterfinals. “I knew I had it in me today – my skis are good and the track suits me well,” he told SVT Sport. Grahn now aims to break his personal best, having previously finished 14th in the World Cup.

On the men’s side, four Swedish athletes advanced to the quarterfinals. Alongside Grahn, Edvin Anger impressed by finishing in second place, while Måns Skoglund and Johan Häggström also secured qualification. However, for Oskar Svensson the day ended in elimination.

On the women’s side, four out of six Swedish skiers advanced. Maja Dahlqvist, who had already proven her strength by finishing second in the sprint relay the previous day, emerged as the best performer with a third-place finish. She was joined by Märta Rosenberg, Johanna Hagström, and Moa Lundlund, while Moa Hansson and Ella Olsson were eliminated. Rosenberg expressed her energy for the races, hoping to ski even faster as the quarterfinals begin at 13:00.

The sprint qualifier in Cogne provided a strong signal of Swedish strength in cross-country skiing, with both emerging talents and experienced competitors setting their sights on further improving their performances in upcoming rounds and competitions.