Photo: Bildbyrån
Tove Alexandersson was awarded the Bragdguldet for her efforts in 2019.
Five years later, the orienteer has a clear picture of who, or rather who, deserves the award. It is not about Olympic hero Armand Duplantis.
– It is a sport that I have not followed at all before, she tells Sportbibeln.
As many as 14 former Swedish athletes sit as members of the achievement committee, among others Mats Sundin, Magdalena Forsberg, Thomas Brolin, Carolina Klüft, Charlotte Kalla, Tony Rickardsson and Annette Norberg. It is their task to vote for which elite Swedish athlete will be awarded with the glorious Bragdguldet each year.
Some favorites for Bragdguldet
On Tuesday, December 3, it is time for the board to present who will win the Bragdguldet 2024. It will be a fierce battle between a couple of different favourites. When the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, which awards the gold medal, asked its readers who they wanted to see as the winner, a couple of popular suggestions came up: Armand Duplantis (pole vault), Truls Möregårdh (ping pong), Tara Babulfath (judo) and David Ohman/Jonathan Hellvig (beach volleyball).
READ MORE: Anette Norberg opts out of Armand Duplantis for Bragdguldet 2024
Anette Norberg, who sits on the committee, says that it is natural that the winner has won some form of championship in their own branch. And when it is an Olympic year, as it has been now, exploits and feats from the Olympics are often included in the calculations.
– It is so difficult to compare the achievements this year. Above all, it is difficult with “Mondo’s” performance, with everything he has won. No one is surprised that he wins Olympic gold, everyone knew that, and that he breaks world records when he decides to, everyone also knows that he has it in him, she tells Sportbibeln.
One who cannot win this year is Sarah Sjostrom. The swimmer has already won the Bragdguldet twice and you cannot win more than that. It is written in the statutes.
– What the ping-pong boys and Truls have done is much more unlikely (than Duplantis). The beach volleyball boys as well, they are strong candidates. But it is very, very rare that you win the Bragdguldet if you have not won gold, she continues, referring to the fact that the ping pong national team only got silver.
Tove Alexandersson’s favorite for Bragdguldet
One who also enters the debate, and seems to ignore the silver vs. gold medal thing, is the former Bragdguldet winner Tove Alexandersson32. The orienteer was awarded in 2019, thanks to his World Cup golds in long distance, middle distance and relay, as well as two World Cup golds in ski orienteering. She also thinks that the Swedish men’s national table tennis team stood for something magnificent during the Summer Olympics.
– It is very difficult to say. I think it is very difficult to even compare sports against each other. Everyone who performs at the top level makes fantastic achievements, she tells Sportbibeln.
READ MORE: Tove Alexandersson’s new message about her Olympic bid
Alexandersson also nods to Olympic gold medalist Armand Duplantis, who also set a new Olympic record and three world records during the year.
– The ping pong was a lot of fun and it’s a sport that I haven’t followed at all before. But those matches were very exciting to follow. Sweden has been very strong at table tennis from time to time – so it’s nice that they get more attention again then, she says.
How exciting to finally find out who will win the Bragdguldet, on December 3. We are keeping our fingers crossed for everyone who is involved and who has the opportunity to win the prestigious award. Do you have a favorite that you want to win? Feel free to comment who you think and hope will take it home.
Share