“Billan” Östlund names the best skier of all time – and nods to the icon Thomas Wassberg: “Has more medals”

Marie-Helene Östlund is one of the pride of Swedish skiing.
Now the WC gold hero “Billan” gets the opportunity to appoint our country’s best skier ever.
Then she chooses to nob the icon Thomas Wassberg for another legendary cross-country skier, in an interview with Sportbibeln.

1987 was transformed Marie-Helene Östlunds, then Westin, ski career and life forever. Over the course of a day, she went from a 20-year-old doldis to a Swedish feat hero.

The car’s success

Because no one had predicted her amazing and unexpected WC gold in the two-mile during the ski WC in Oberstdorf in 1987. She then became “Billan” with the entire Swedish people and was awarded both the Bragdguldet and the Jerring prize for her heroic deed on the track.

There were three more WC medals and two World Cup victories during his career. But she managed to repeat the gold success and was forced to put her skis on the shelf at the age of 29, after problems with heart palpitations.

Nobbar Wassberg

Today, she is 57 years old and runs a conference facility with her husband Erik Östlund. But now she gets the opportunity to remember back to the successful years in the 80s by naming Sweden’s best cross-country skier of all time.

Then she is forced to choose between two old teammates in the national skiing team, namely Thomas Wassberg and Gunde Swan.
– Oh then… Best cross-country skier… Ever… Of all time? Yes you, that was a good question. There are a lot of names that pop into my head, but if you take the concrete with the most medals and so on, then it’s Gunde. Surely he has the most, or are they equal? It’s Gunde, isn’t it? Or Wassberg… I wonder if Gunde doesn’t have the most medals too. Ah, but we say Gunde, Billan Östlund tells Sportbibeln.

Swan has the most

It is true that Svan has won more in his career with four Olympic golds, seven WC golds and a total of 17 championship medals, to be compared with Wassberg’s four Olympic golds, three WC golds and a total of 11 championship medals. Östlund also admits that she is in touch with her old teammates these days.
– Yes, we have some contacts. Among other things, we had a reunion here at our place on Kungsholmen a few summers ago. We have the most contact with Gunde and Marie (Svan, wife), says the Swedish skiing hero.

The reunion, is there anyone else you recognize who was there?
– Nah, but it was like most of the national team from my time, there in the 80s, says Billan.

And everyone lived with you?
– Hey guys!

The article continues after the picture.

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