Facts: Cross-country skiing national team 2023/24
Ladies: Ebba Andersson, Piteå, Emma Ribom, do, Frida Karlsson, Sollefteå, Johanna Hagström, Ulricehamn, Jonna Sundling, Piteå, Linn Svahn, Östersund, Maja Dahlqvist, Falun Borlänge, and Moa Ilar, do.
Men: Anton Persson, Falun Borlänge, Calle Halfvarsson, Sågmyra, Edvin Anger, Åsarna, Jens Burman, do, Johan Häggström, Piteå, Marcus Grate, Umeå, and William Poromaa, Åsarna.
The blue and yellow national team squad was presented at a press conference today and just as the preliminary rumors have indicated, a star trio is back in the group.
“It feels great,” says Maja Dahlqvist in Aftonbladet’s broadcast from the press conference.
Frida Karlsson, Maja Dahlqvist and Linn Svahn left the community before last season, after, among other things, having opinions about the flexibility regarding participation in various pre-season camps.
Now they feel that they can participate and think in a different way.
“Doing something that you yourself have been able to participate in and decide feels much better than being thrown into something,” says Dahlqvist.
Linn Svahn:
— The (important) thing was to get a good kind of arrangement and that we could be involved in what we are going to do in the future.
The best national team of all time
National team manager Anders Byström has previously hinted that they should open up to be able to adapt more. After the trio’s return, he now says:
— Great fun, of course, we’ve had a good dialogue all the way. After all, we get eight fantastically good skiers who will work together, I don’t think we have ever seen a better national team on the women’s side in Sweden.
Last year’s season was a success story for the national team with a record number of podium places and WC medals. Now Karlsson, Dahlqvist and Svahn in the national team squad will be joined by Ebba Andersson, Emma Ribom, Johanna Hagström, Jonna Sundling and Moa Ilar.
“We want the world’s best national team and we get that with these three girls,” Byström told Aftonbladet.
Svensson is poked
In the men’s national team, Johan Häggström is back after being poked last year. Edvin Anger, who broke through last season, is also involved for the first time.
At the same time, Oskar Svensson is poked.
“Unfortunately, the results are not enough to take a place in the A squad,” says Byström.