Facts: Champions of champions 2023
Nils van der Poel, skating
Jörgen Brink, cross-country skiing and biathlon
Andreas Bergwall, bandy
Klara Svensson, boxing
Johan Wissman, athletics
Maria Gretzer, horse jumping
Anders Holmertz, swimming
Jonna Adlerteg, gymnastics
Elina Öhman, scooter cross
Jens Byggmark, alpine
When Anja Pärsson, Charlotte Kalla and Rickard Nordstrand dropped out of “The Champion of Champions” due to injuries, SVT had to work quickly to find replacements. Jens Byggmark was asked, but it was not obvious for him to say yes. He was in the middle of building the family’s house.
— It’s very messy in everyday life, I project manage the house construction myself, so I can’t really just disappear.
— At the same time, it was very easy for me to say yes, I really wanted to do “Master of Masters”, he says to TT.
It usually goes well for skiers in the program. Among the previous winners are Per Elofsson, Ingemar Stenmark, Magdalena Forsberg and Anders Södergren – which made Jens Byggmark feel extra pressure. When he checked his own running history for the past year, he had run a total of two miles.
— I haven’t trained myself to death in the last three years. You weren’t in the best shape of your life, he says.
“Great when they got in touch”
In this year’s season, he competes against Nils van der Poel, Jörgen Brink, Andreas Bergwall, Klara Svensson, Johan Wissman, Maria Gretzer, Anders Holmertz, Jonna Adlerteg and Elina Öhman.
Scootercross star Elina Öhman had not at all expected to get the question from SVT.
“Scootercross is very small, so it felt big when they got in touch,” she says.
Scootercross is not a big sport in Montenegro, where the show is filmed. Despite this, Elina Öhman believes that she can benefit from experiences from her sport.
— It’s a pretty tough sport. You have to be quick-thinking. I make very quick decisions when I drive and am quite fearless, she says.
An honor to be involved
Just like Jens Byggmark, the boxer Klara Svensson also had to step in as a replacement close to filming.
— Two weeks before departure, I got the question. At the time, I hadn’t had time to prepare either mentally or physically, but I just had to drive, she says.
Klara Svensson saw it as a great honor to be part of the program. For her – and most of the show – there was also no doubt about who was seen as the biggest competitor.
— Nils van der Poel. He is very interesting as a sports person and also the hottest of us all because he quit so recently.
Got the question several times
Someone who is also in this year’s season is the swimmer Anders Holmertz. He has been asked to be part of the “Master of Champions” several times, but due to the fact that he had a liver transplant a few years ago, it has not been obvious to say yes.
— You are limited by the medication and that has made me hesitate. I’ve been thinking for a long time that at some point I should join, and it was really, really fun. It’s a tribute program to our athletes, so it’s fun to be one of the chosen ones, he says.
A large part of the program is about looking back on your sports career together with the other participants. For Anders Holmertz, it was one of the highlights.
— It was big and my film was great. Even watching the other people’s movies, that was among the funnest.
“Master of Masters” premieres on March 5.