PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Therese Johaug is one of skiing’s absolute greatest.
Now former competitor Anna Jönsson Haag opens up about a possible comeback for the Norwegian ski queen.
– It would have meant a lot, says the Swede to Sportbibeln.
March 4, 2022 announced Therese Johaug that she would end her skiing career and put her boots on the shelf. Thus ended one of the most successful heydays in skiing history.
Johaug’s career
The Norwegian skiing queen won an incredible 4 Olympic golds, 14 World Cup golds and the overall World Cup on two separate occasions. After Johaug’s 18-month doping ban, the Norwegian came back with an incredible desire for revenge and better trained than ever – after that she was pretty much completely unstoppable in the skiing world.
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After his departure, the dominant man has left a large void in cross-country skiing. A few months after her career ended, the next sudden announcement came from Johaug, the 34-year-old revealed that she was pregnant and expecting her first child.
READ MORE: Anna Jönsson Haag reveals the truth about scandal man Petter Northug – honest words: “He is actually very…”
Making a comeback?
Since his skiing career ended, voices have been raised and rumors spread that Johaug may make a comeback to the skiing world again. Many believe that the urge to compete will come creeping back after the Norwegian gives birth to her child.
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Another who returned to skiing again after giving birth is Johaug’s former competitor Anna Jönsson The Hague. The 36-year-old won one Olympic gold, three Olympic silvers, three World Cup silvers and one World Cup bronze during her career and, since she put her skis on the shelf, has had two children with her husband Emil Jönsson The Hague.
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…like Björgen
But now she is in her second season as a long-distance skier and now opens up that Johaug would be a very welcome addition to the classic Ski Classics.
– I haven’t talked to Therese about it, she ran a race last year. I think it’s a little bit like she’s quite done with sports, then she’ll want to stay in good shape and will be able to live on her enormous amount of training that she’s put in over the past 20 years. Should she decide that “now I want to go” Ski Classics, she would of course do it as well as possible, says the Swede to Sportbibeln.
– It’s just about the attitude mentally, because it probably doesn’t require that much training. You could see that at Marit Björgen, where very little training was required. She was done with it, but then when she rode the Vasaloppet, she came second. So they have a lot going on already, it’s just a matter of what they want.
Just mentioned Marit Björgen is another example of a successful cross-country skier who switched to long-distance running after the end of his career. If Therese Johaug were to do the same, it would have been a huge boost for the sport with such a big poster name.
– I think that the Ski Classic had received a boost in that it is in the shadow of the World Cup. It would have meant a lot, but then you notice a difference now that it is broadcast on SVT, that there are more people who open their eyes to it. The sport needs stars, it was great fun that Astrid Öyres Lind finished seventh in the Tour de Ski and took bronze in the World Cup – and then she comes and runs the long races in the Ski Classics, says Anna Jönsson Haag in the interview.
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