Maria Akraka had the Swedish record of 800 meters for seven years.
Then the icon disappeared completely – and started working on a completely new sport. So she lives today.
Maria Akraka was born in London but moved to Sweden early. Here she grew up in Rågsved with her mother and her with her three siblings, and she became good at athletics at an early age.
Incredible career
The Swede broke through early on the biggest stage, and it would not be long before she made a name for herself in Sweden and internationally. Already as a 25-year-old, she broke the Swedish record in the 800 meters outdoors, a record that stood between the years 1991-98.
But perhaps the most remarkable record is the one she set at the same distance indoors. In 1998, Maria Akraka ran 800 meters at 2.00.01. No one has hit it yet and the icon is still the fastest in all of Sweden in the distance on an indoor track.
There were a total of 18, incomparable, Swedish Championship gold, and at best Maria Akraka was ranked fifth in the world during her active career. All good things, however, have an end, and in 2000 she put her running shoes on the shelf. But life has not been quiet since then for Akraka, who has been involved in a number of other projects.
So she lives today
After her career, she has been enormously involved in the trotting sport, where she has had a number of different roles. Maria Akraka has, among other things, been a trotting coach and worked as a host for the ATG channel Kanal 75.
She is still active in the trotting industry, but has jumped on a whole new mission. Ikonen works at ATG’s horse department as a business developer and project manager.
That it would just be trotting for Maria Akraka after her athletics career was perhaps not a big deal. She started working with horses during the early school years, and it quickly became obvious that her interest would continue after her active sports career.
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