PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Agneta Andersson has died.
Now she is celebrated in the sports world.
– She is one of the biggest we’ve ever had, says former swimmer Louise Karlsson.
During Sunday, the news came that Agneta Andersson died, aged 62, after a period of illness. Agneta was a canoeist and won seven Olympic medals and eleven World Cup medals. With her seven Olympic medals, three of which were gold, she was one of Sweden’s foremost Olympians of all time.
Agneta Andersson is celebrated
After her death, Agneta is now being celebrated by loved ones in the sports world. She won one of her Olympic golds together with Susanne Gunnarssonin K2 500 meters.
“Agneta was not only a great athlete, she was also a good friend. We have known each other since I was 16 and she was 18. We won our first medal together in 1981 at the WC and the last one in 1996. We’ve been through a lot together. For the last 20 years, we have spent time without a canoe. Agneta fought until the end and it hurts so much. My thoughts go out to Martin and Benjamin (Agneta’s husband and son), Gunnarsson writes in a comment to TT.
The article continues after the picture.
Calle Sundqvist was the national team captain when Agneta and Susanne Gunnarsson won gold in the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, and he remembers her main strength as an athlete.
– She really was the best when it came down to it. That was her signature. Sometimes she was not at her best, but when it came down to the decisive moments, she was the best when it mattered. Agneta had an ability that I have only seen in a few athletes at all. She was able to muster up the strength and be mentally strong when it mattered most. Not least in 1996 when she and Susanne won.
– Agneta is one of Sweden’s best athletes of all time. There is no talk about it, says Sundqvist to SVT.
Louise Karlsson: “Role model”
The swimmer Louise Karlsson got to know Agneta through sports.
– Agneta was taken away far too soon. Cancer is a terrible disease. I am thinking mainly of her relatives, of course. It is a tough situation that they are going through. It’s terrible, not many people knew about this, but she fought bravely anyway, says Karlsson to Aftonbladet.
The article continues after the picture.
Louise Karlsson and Agneta were also seen in a sports context when the duo participated in SVT’s Mästarnas Mästare 2010, and were good friends.
– Agneta was an incredibly strong sports personality and woman. She has done so much, she is one of the greatest we have ever had. Agneta was a fine role model for us girls.
READ MORE: The new picture of Armand Duplantis and his girlfriend Desiré Inglander that the Swedish people pay tribute to: “What a great honor”