PHOTO: Bildbyrån
William Poromaa finally got to celebrate in the last WC race.
And the Swede’s success caused great concern in neighboring Norway.
– He is barely dry behind the ears, says Norwegian national team manager Eirik Myhr Nossum to Dagbladet.
The end of the Skiing WC 2023 in Planica was highly dramatic when the men’s five-mile race was to be decided. A lot of skaters were in the top battle right up to the last and in the race it was still Norway that was the strongest again.
Poromaa’s success
Norwegian Paul Golberg won the WC gold before the compatriot Johannes Hösflot Kläbo in silver place but behind there came the really big happy news when William Poromaa took a much-anticipated WC bronze.
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The 22-year-old sprinted away from his compatriot Calle Halfvarsson and took the very first championship medal of his career. The WC bronze was also the first on the men’s side for Sweden in this championship and the first WC medal in six long years.
– It’s so damn big. It felt good, I was in a good position and tried to challenge Johannes (Kläbo), but he is the world’s best cross-country skier. It’s difficult, but I’ll give it a try, said a very proud Poromaa to the Norwegian Dagbladet after the feat.
READ MORE: Calle Halfvarsson’s heartbreaking words after the tough medal miss: “It’s hard to feel joy”
Norway’s shock
The successful Swedish skater also caused a big surprise in Norway after the incredibly impressive third place. For the Norwegian national team manager Eirik Myhr Nossum asked Swedish journalists in the mixed zone about how old Poromaa was.
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When the Norwegian received 22 years as an answer, he was amazed.
– Damn, we will fight with him for many years to come, said Nossum according to the Norwegian newspaper.
– It is impressive. He gets better and better every year. He was born in 2000 and is barely dry behind the ears. That’s a guy we’ll be hearing about for many, many years.
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Kläbo’s pass
The Swedish national ski team has had to struggle tremendously on the men’s side in recent years. While the medals have been pouring in on the women’s side, there have been serious headwinds for the blue-and-yellow men.
But now the future still looks significantly brighter. Because of the 22 leading riders in the five-mile, William Poromaa is the only one born in the 2000s.
WC king Hösflot Kläbo is one of those who also want to pay tribute to the young Swede after the WC bronze.
– It was fun. He deserves a medal. He was probably out for revenge after he was butchered in the media for pointing the finger at the camera. I wish him that, he’s a nice guy, says Klæbo to the Norwegian newspaper and can’t quite let go of the Swede’s famous middle finger to the TV camera.
– We have to take the gesture with us. We can’t do that on TV, concludes Kläbo with a smile.
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