Photo: Bildbyrån
Calle Halfvarsson was predicted to have a bright future as a cross-country skier, but his career never quite reached the heights he himself had hoped for.
Now he tells why he has never really been able to fight the best.
– My coaches have been good, but I think they’ve torn their hair out with me, he says in SVT’s Kallprat.
Back in 2009, a 20-year-old did Calle Halfvarssontoday 35 years old, debut in the World Cup. Since then, the valley man has mixed and given at the competitions. Sometimes he has fought for top positions, sometimes he has been in charge of disaster efforts and spoken out in the media. There have been a total of 17 podium places at the World Cup (3 individual wins) and three WC medals in relays.
Because Calle was there and competed with Johan Olsson, Marcus Hellner and Daniel Rickardsson and did well, many expected him to carry the Swedish men’s national team on his shoulders when the others quit. That has not really been the case. He certainly drives on now as a 35-year-old, but William Poromaa and Edwin Anger seen as major competitors around the world. In addition, pressure Alvar Myhlback in the junior ranks
READ MORE: Calle Halfvarsson’s new family decision before the season
When Halfvarsson was a guest on SVT’s winter sports talk show Kallprat, he was asked the question Johan Kücükaslan why he never really blossomed.
– Considering the goal setting and the level of ambition you had as a young person, and even though you have achieved a lot, what is it that has caused you to never reach that even peak?, asks the presenter.
In previous years, he has been a master at finding excuses and excuses when there have been setbacks. This time, Calle is actually very honest about what he thinks it’s all about.
– Now there are excuses again, haha. I have also thought about that. It’s clear that… I still think it’s about ignorance of training from a fairly young age – already when you start talking about the high school years there. When you enter the ski school. I have always been more ignorant of what I should do in training and what the sessions are for. I have always had the thought that I should just drive hard in training and then it will be fine, he explains.
READ MORE: Petter Northug’s adamant words about Calle Halfvarsson: “It hurts”
When Kücükaslan points out that Halfvarsson must have had coaches who helped him over the years and questions whether they were good enough then, he answers:
– My coaches have been good, but I think they have torn their hair out with me. I guess I wasn’t really listening. I went my own way and that way has gone right sometimes and I think if I went a different way it might have gone better.
Johan Kücükaslan says he doesn’t know any skier who gets as much hate, mockery and mean comments as Calle. He is often told when things are going badly for him – but he says himself that he does not let himself be influenced by it.
– No, I don’t think so. I’ve only really thought once that it was hard. Then I put the blame on myself. It was when I cod the sprint at the home WC against Peter (Northug) in the relay there. Then it was difficult and then I felt if I saw a comment… then I kind of thought: “I have let the whole country down. I deserve this,” he says.
Halfvarsson also tries to explain why he thinks people have a hard time with him and why they react the way they do when his performances are bad.
– Maybe the attitude. The setting for the races. I must have been a bit cocky and answered Petter during his heyday. However, got beaten by Petter at the most important moment that we met each other. There is a difference if you are cocky and win, then it will be a success. But I have been cocky and cod a sprint there in Falun. Then you get hate, you just have to count on that. Someone is bound to lose.
Poor Calle, no one ever deserves hate, scorn and negative comments. Especially not just because you lose a ski race. Hope this season goes better for you and that you do a good WC. We’re rooting for you, Calle!
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