PHOTO: Bildbyrån
He is one of Sweden’s great Olympic gold hopes this summer.
But now Perseus Karlström is forced to fight back against the giant criticism.
Then the Swedish expert Miro Zalar comes with a serious sawing.
It is not easy to deal with time. Just ask Perseus Karlstrom who had to fight for so many years in the odd sport and the often-maligned athletics discipline.
Zalar’s sawing
After three consecutive World Cup bronzes and one World Cup silver, he finally got to step on top of the podium during the athletics EC in Rome when Karlström won a brilliant EC gold in the 20 km walk. Now the summer Olympics in Paris are soon to come, and then the 34-year-old steps in as one of Sweden’s greatest hopes for gold.
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Walking has gained a higher status since it became part of the Swedish national athletics team in 2023 and Perseus Karlström is the big, blue-and-yellow poster name. But now comes the Swedish expert Miro Zalar with a serious sawing of the entire sport.
– I don’t think it’s a natural athletics discipline, says Zalar to Radiosporten Dokumentär.
Karlström’s answer
The former pole vaulter admits he is torn about the amalgamation of walking and traditional athletics.
– There is no one who has had respect for the walk, you have to willingly admit that anyway, that no one in athletics has taken it seriously, he says to the radio channel.
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Karlström is now hitting back against the clear criticism from Miro Zalar.
– You learn what it means to be a walker and that means you will have to take some shit, says the European champion in the interview.
– Walking is the most natural thing a human does, so why shouldn’t we try to walk as fast as possible.
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But it’s an argument that athletics expert Zalar doesn’t buy at all.
– “Why not go fastest?” Yes, the problem with that is that if you go too fast, it becomes running. That is my experience, he asserts.
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