PHOTO: Bildbyrån
She is the super talent who has already won two European Championship medals.
Now breaststroker Olivia Klint Ipsa, 19 years old, is making her WC debut.
– She has extremely good conditions to become one of the world’s best swimmers, says national team captain Martina Aronsson.
The 19-year-old Kristianstad swimmer Olivia Klint Ipsa won two bronze medals at the long-track EC this summer. In her first long track championship as a senior.
Swedish super talent
Now it’s time to debut at WC level in short track.
– It will be great fun and exciting. It would have been fun to get to a semi-final, a final would have been completely…, she says and stops without completing the sentence.
Maybe she doesn’t want to build up expectations too much.
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Klint Ipsa will swim 100 and 200 meter breaststroke in Budapest and she points out that she likes long course more than short course.
– There are a lot of starts and turns on a short course and that is not my strong point. But you can always train and get better at it, she says.
The coach’s tribute
However, Klint Ipsa’s two bronze medals this summer at the European Championships in Belgrade have meant a lot to her.
– It was very fun to be able to do it at my first senior championship in long track. It was cool to show off among the seniors. It has meant a lot, you feel more comfortable in this environment and that you have something to do there, she says.
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Confederation captain Martina Aronsson sees a high potential in Klint Ipsa in the future. But emphasizes that it is hard work if it is to get there.
– The future is extremely bright for Olivia when she understands how good she can be. So that you get the work input that is needed, says Martina Aronsson.
– She has a unique ability in how to tackle the water. There are some who have that ability, but with her it is special, says Aronsson.
Now moving to the US
The 19-year-old is in her last year at the swimming high school in Helsingborg, and Klint Ipsa says that the future is clear – she has signed a contract with Washington State and will start college after the summer.
– I’m going to try it and see if it’s something for me. The attractive thing is to experience the USA, you get a good education and a good training environment. There are very good conditions, she says.
The dream going forward is to win medals at the Olympics and WC. She was only 18 hundredths from qualifying for the Olympics in Paris in the hundred ring.
– Getting to come to the Olympics and experience everything there. Winning a medal at the Olympics would have been really cool, she says.
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Facts short track WC:
• Sarah Sjöström and Michelle Coleman are over and Erik Persson has withdrawn his offer due to illness. Louise Hansson is the biggest Swedish medal hope. She took three bronzes, 100-meter butterfly, 100-meter medley and 4×50-meter medley, in the last short track WC in 2022. It was also Sweden’s total medal haul.
• Several international stars from Paris this summer are competing in Budapest, including Olympic queen Summer McIntosh of Canada, who won three golds and one silver, all individually.
Olympic king Leon Marchand, France, four golds, had intended to compete, but pulled out recently on the grounds that he was tired.
• 13 Swedish swimmers are selected:
Hanna Bergman, Poseidon, Louise Hansson, Helsingborg, Sophie Hansson, do, Robin Hanson, Spårvägen, Victor Johansson, Jönköping, Sara Junevik, Falun, Olivia Klint Ipsa, – Kristianstad, Daniel Kertes, Helsingborg, Elias Persson, Malmö, Hanna Rosvall, Helsingborg, Klara Thormalm, Jönköping, Samuel Törnqvist, Spårvägen, Sofia Åstedt, Elfsborg.
• SVT Play broadcasts the final pass every day starting at 17.25.
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