Drama Surrounding Sweden’s Star at the Nordic Ski World Championships

Sweden lost a hot medal contender shortly before the start of the Nordic Ski World Championships. For her coach, it seems as if a curse hangs over Linn Svahn.

After her return, Svahn was seen as a strong candidate for a medal; however, during training for the freestyle sprint on Thursday, she suffered a nasty fall and incurred a head injury. The incident forced her out of the competition even before the first race started.

The 25-year-old, widely regarded as one of the world’s best sprint specialists in cross-country skiing, sustained a concussion and continues to experience headaches, nausea, and light sensitivity the day after the fall. Swedish team doctor Rickard Noberius explained, "We assume her symptoms are severe enough that she will not be able to participate in the championships and needs rest and recovery. It will take at least a week, usually longer, before one is back on the track." Svahn has already left Trondheim, the host city of the championships, to return home.

This is especially bitter for Svahn, who has often been plagued by bad luck during major events. Prior to the 2021 championships, she began the season with two victories but had to withdraw from later competitions due to a shoulder injury. That setback led her to miss the Beijing Olympics in 2022, and although she made a quick comeback, she narrowly missed out on medals on two occasions. To date, she has only managed to claim a bronze medal in a relay, despite winning 16 World Cup races in her career.

"It feels as if a curse surrounds her at major events," said Swedish coach Stefan Thomson. In a small consolation, her teammate Jonna Sundling secured the first gold medal for Sweden at the start of the championships.