PHOTO: TT News Agency
Gunde Svan and Thomas Wassberg were a dynamic duo during their skiing careers.
They have continued to bump into each other afterwards.
– He dares to come back even though I tormented him, Gunde tells Sportbibeln.
Colleagues and competitors in the tracks. Friends off the tracks. The former skiers Gunde Swan and Thomas Wassberg formed a popular duo that was loved by the Swedish people for their success and invention.
Wassberg & Swan
Both Thomas Wassberg and Gunde Svan are seen as two of the best Swedish skiers of all time. Both of them are probably also in the discussion about the world’s best skaters of all time. Wassberg won four Olympic golds and three World Cup golds. Svan won four Olympic golds and seven WC golds. They took some of the gold medals together in relays.
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Wassberg’s skiing career lasted between 1974 and 1988, Gunde’s between 1982-1991. Thus, they had six years together, where they helped, motivated and inspired each other. But also joking, teasing and competing with each other. When Wassberg put the skis on the shelf in 88, Gunde was afraid of losing the motivation to continue. Fortunately came Torgny Mogren into the picture and could replace Wassberg.
The picture of Wassberg
Even after their skiing careers, Gunde and Wassberg have met each other. Among other things when Thomas participated in the programs “Prisoners at the fort” and “In the head of Gunde Svan” which Svan has hosted.
– I did this “In the head of Gunde” with Thomas. It was a very good program, and it was a lot of fun to do. I then had to show the viewers a slightly different image of Thomas, than what many from the media had created, Gunde tells Sportbibeln.
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He continues:
– Many thought that Thomas was like a little slouch, and came late to the start and things like that. But I saw a completely different side, when he stays on for hours after hours and moves the binding back and forth on the skis, to see how the binding was affected on the skis, if the binding was a centimeter further forward or backward. And that image has not come across at all, I think, in that way in the media, says Gunde.
READ MORE: Icon Gunde Svan’s new life today – refuses to return to skiing again after her daughter’s beautiful slip
The relationship now
How is the relationship with Thomas Wassberg today, do you have any contact?
– Yes, this summer at the latest. He dares to come back to the fort several times. Although I tormented him years before, he comes again, sometimes anyway, haha. No, we have a fantastically good relationship, says Gunde.
READ MORE: Thomas Wassberg’s big secret has been revealed – his beautiful actions touch everyone’s hearts: “He is the kindest person in the world”
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