Photo: Bildbyrån
Together with the more famous Johan Olsson, Marcus Hellner and Anders Södergren, he went home to Sweden in the relay gold at the Olympics.
A few years later, he was involved in an accident that could have ruined his career.
Now Daniel Rickardssons is still very much about skiing – but in a different way.
He was always somewhat of an underdog compared to his Swedish ski colleagues, but his credentials really speak for themselves. Daniel Rickardsson42, has three Olympic medals, four World Cup medals, a performance gold and a victory in the classic five-mile in Holmenkollen to brag about.
The brother-in-law died in an accident
Together with Marcus Hellner, Anders Södergren and Johan Olsson Rickardsson stood for an incomparable performance in the relay at the Olympics in Vancouver 2010. They were even rewarded for their efforts with the Gold Medal at the Sports Gala the following year.
Four years later, the gang repeated the feat in Sochi, Russia, but then Södergren was replaced by Lars Nelson. During the same championship, Daniel Rickardsson managed to win a bronze in 15 km classic. What was most impressive about it all was that the salute had its preseason ruined by a horrific fatal accident in the summer of 2013.
His brother-in-law had suffered a puncture on the E4 between Njutånger and Iggesund and Rickardsson went to him on the road to help change the tyre. Then a mobile home came speeding and hit the two men. Rickardsson suffered a leg injury, but his brother-in-law died tragically.
READ MORE: Olympic gold hero Daniel Rickardsson’s brand new job after his skiing career – takes on the fine task: “Big difference”
– All of a sudden I see something out of the corner of my eye. There is a car coming in the same lane as we are standing. Then it just clicks, Rickardsson said in court a few months later.
Daniel Rickardsson does that now
Fortunately, the skier recovered after the accident and just a few months later he was successful at the Olympics. He continued to compete for a good seven more years – and made it to the Olympics in Pyeongchang as well – before hanging up his skis.
– I managed to win a medal at the Olympics in Sochi that season, but after that I got injuries that somehow lingered and are still a problem. It works in everyday life, but if you push your body hard, it doesn’t always work as you want, he previously told Expressen.
However, he has not completely said goodbye to the sport. He is a trained sports educator and since 2023 he is the national team captain for the Swedish para national team and coach for the junior team in biathlon. Since 2022, he is also a guide for the visually impaired skiing star Sebastian Modin. So he has many irons in the fire.
READ MORE: The unexpected decision of the Swedish Olympic hero – now leaving cross-country skiing for a completely new sport: “It will be a challenge”
However, it could have been a different profession for Rickardsson, who was close to taking up an offer he received two years ago. By then he had built his house himself for two years and had some contact with a construction company. They finally asked if he wanted to work at the company as a supervisor. Something he considered, but it never came to pass.
– I actually thought about that, it sounded quite interesting. I have absolutely no training as such, but it sounded quite fun, he told Expressen.
Exciting to hear how Daniel Rickardsson is doing these days. He didn’t always get the credit he deserved during his active career, because Hellner and Olsson were bigger stars. But Rickardsson has been responsible for incredible performances.
Best of luck with your continued career in skiing. And in life in general.
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