National Team Leader Responds to SVT Expert After Tough Championship

The article outlines the aftermath of a difficult Junior World Championship for Swedish cross-country skiing, where the team failed to win any medals. National team leader Anders Byström told SVT’s expert that the performances in the races – particularly the longer events – were not up to standard. He noted that while the U23 championships saw strong performances, especially from Märta Rosenberg, the results in the U20 event held in Schilpario, Italy, were disappointing. SVT’s expert Mattias Fredriksson highlighted significant time gaps, pointing out that in the demanding uphill sections, the Swedish athletes lagged behind their competitors by as much as 56 seconds on the men’s side and 1 minute 56 seconds on the women’s side. Byström acknowledged that there is definitely room for improvement and mentioned that adjustments might be necessary in training – for instance, by engaging with high schools to better prepare the athletes. Although the focus was on gaining valuable championship experience, both Byström and Fredriksson stressed the importance of competing for medals rather than merely participating.

In summary, the Swedish leadership recognizes the need to catch up in capacity during longer races and is discussing training adjustments to ensure that the national team is better prepared for future international competitions.