Two new medals.
But the Swedish gold dominance in the WC is broken.
Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson come second and third in the 10 kilometer race.
Ebba Andersson was completely superior in her WC premiere this weekend. All the preliminary talk was about Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson in particular – and talk about the Swedish duo playing for the press. Ebba Andersson made a magical golden move right after changing skis, and then no one could resist.
Big favorites
Frida Karlsson crossed the finish line about 20 seconds after Ebba Andersson, thus securing a Swedish double. Sweden’s start to this year’s WC has been almost sensational, with triple WC gold and another two silvers and a bronze. Hopes were thus not exactly low ahead of Tuesday’s 10 kilometer race.
But the Swedes didn’t storm straight into the groove. Both Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson started the competition cautiously, and early on it looked like they would lose against above all American Jessie Diggins. But halfway into the race it was even between that trio, and less than three seconds separated Diggins, Karlsson and Andersson.
READ MORE: Frida Karlsson now reveals her very first words after the collapse during the Tour de Ski: “I asked it straight away”
Gold dominance broken
With 7.7 kilometers of the race completed, Jessie Diggins had made a small move, and she was then five seconds ahead of Frida Karlsson, and eight seconds ahead of Ebba Andersson. Sweden had hopes of taking gold in all the women’s events during this year’s World Ski Championships, but Diggins made it clear early on that she would be hard to beat today.
And that’s exactly how it happened. When Frida Karlsson crossed the finish line, she had to be in the lead for a short while, before Diggins crossed the finish line and took a lead of 14 seconds. During the WC 2021, Therese Johaug won gold in the distance – just ahead of Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson. And this time too, the Swedes had to settle for second and third place.
Ebba Andersson crossed the finish line 19 seconds after Jessie Diggins – but Sweden now has seven medals in this year’s WC.
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