PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Both Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson missed the WC gold.
This broke the Swedish gold dominance on the women’s side in Planica.
Now the bronze medalist Ebba reveals her great irritation after 10 km freestyle.
The Swedish jump Ebba Andersson got off to a brilliant start at the 2023 Skiing WC in Planica by winning WC gold already in the first race. But on Tuesday, the 25-year-old failed to follow up the great success in the skiathlon when it was time for the 10 km freestyle.
Ebba’s WC bronze
Andersson made a big effort but had to settle for a bronze place after his team-mate went blue and yellow Frida Karlsson took silver and sovereign Jessie Diggins won the gold. But Ebba was still satisfied with her effort despite a third place in the tough race.
– My goal was to bring out the powers I had and I really succeeded in that. This bronze medal… It was a fighting effort, she tells Dagens Nyheter.
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The vast majority were happy that it was Diggins who won the WC gold, as she is very popular among the skiers and has had to fight hard during her career to achieve success. The Swedish national ski team is also not disappointed by two new WC medals – on the contrary, they feel great pride.
– That’s really good. If anyone is standing here and is disappointed by that, they can go home, I think. We cannot be disappointed for two more medals. We have eight medals now – it’s really good, says the national team manager Anders Byström to the daily newspaper.
READ MORE: Frida Karlsson’s strong words – in shock over the WC gold hero’s tough choice: “I would have perished from it”
Ebba annoyed
But Ebba Andersson was also very annoyed when she was asked far too many questions about whether she was disappointed with “only” a bronze medal.
– She said herself that she was annoyed that she was asked if she was disappointed with third place. She doesn’t like that, because it’s big to be third in the WC, says Byström in the interview.
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Ebba also puts her foot down and talks openly about her annoyance at being disappointed. She thinks it gives a very distorted picture when she actually won two WC medals in the first two races in Planica.
– Yes, you can think a little about where the expectations are actually placed on you. But I am satisfied based on the expectations I have of myself and above all how the race developed. I just tried to ride as well as I could and handle the tough conditions that were out there as well as possible, says the Swede to DN.
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READ MORE: Here is Stina Nilsson’s wonderful message of joy – after the extremely tough time: “Hello Stina!”