PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Linn Svahn is the world’s best sprinter right now.
But she recently opened up about the fact that she was close to changing sports.
Then SVT expert Björn Ferry comes up with a most unexpected proposal.
It was in March 2020 that Stina Nilsson surprised the entire skiing world with his decision to leave cross-country skiing, as one of the sport’s top skiers. To instead go over wholeheartedly to a completely new investment in biathlon.
Ferry’s criticism
Four years later, we can state that the Swedish 30-year-old has had to struggle a lot in his new sport. Nilsson has had difficulty reaching the top of the world and has had to struggle both with shooting and, unexpectedly enough, with skiing as well.
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One of the many critical voices during the setbacks has been the SVT expert Bjorn Ferry.
– It is basically impossible to turn a good shooter into a good biathlete. Biathlon is based on cross-country skiing. If a cross-country skier is to become a good biathlete, you have to be a really good cross-country skier, he explains in an old interview with SVT.
The words to Svahn
Then Ferry points out which Swedish cross-country skiers could have become good biathletes and stops at that Lynn Svahnwhich has been a great success in the sprint – which was also Stina’s parade event.
– Possibly Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson, Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist can do it. Those who hold that level. Why not a Linn Svahn? admits the Swedish expert in biathlon.
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Svahn is the world’s best sprinter and leads the overall sprint cup after stringing up victories at the world cup in recent months. But she has had to fight through two years of injury problems and rehab.
“Shot someone”
When it was at its worst, the 24-year-old also considered changing sports.
– For a while I actually thought: “Many athletes have changed sports. Maybe it could be something for me?” I wanted to be a cyclist for a while. So, one hundred percent true. I joined a club, got a competition license and was about to sign up for the SM, she recently told Expressen.
– But then those around me said stop. Pointed out that I’m seriously injured in the shoulder. And then you shouldn’t ride a SM.
READ MORE: Linn Svahn reveals what she really thinks of the Norwegian Petter Northug: “He has really been my greatest…”
Whether Linn Svahn would have made it as a biathlete is difficult to say. The teammate Maja Dahlqvist now gives his honest opinion on which of the cross-country ladies would have done best with a rifle in their hands.
– Hard to say. I’ve never seen anyone shoot. There may very well be (someone who can shoot). It wouldn’t have been me, I think. I probably almost shot someone else, says Dahlqvist jokingly to SVT.
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