– It’s really good fun and fun that you have the opportunity to do it. I appreciate it more now because it feels like a bonus, when you were active it was a job, says Stefan Nystrand to SVT Sport.
42-year-old Stefan Nystrand has just finished the short track SC and leaves Gothenburg with two team race golds and an individual fifth place in the 50 free, 28 hundredths from the podium.
– It feels great! It has worked perfectly, clearly approved even though I wanted to swim a little faster.
The return to the pool started as a fun project with “old” swimming buddies Petter Stymne, Simon Sjödin and Pontus Flodqvist.
– We had an idea that we would have a “dad team”, “old man team” with an average age of around 38 years and nine children together and try to compete in the 4×50 freestyle and see how far it would go. So it was so much fun, so it became more and more, plus a little internal urge to get better.
“Half a comeback”
The swimming sessions and strength training were intensified and in social media the followers of the multiple EC and WC medalist could see max runs and spring jumps that signaled something other than exercise training.
– It’s probably half a comeback, it’s not a full-time investment. But it’s great fun and I try to make the best of the situation. I try to strength train and have a little go, a little flow, says Nystrand.
– I have tried to stay fit in terms of training in recent years, but then more for health reasons, that you have to keep in shape. Then it’s so much more fun when you have goals.
Nystrand has only been in hard training for three months and fully enjoys life with a good balance between swimming, work and family life.
– I will want to swim further this spring to see how it can work in the long distance and not let go of what has been done so far. I will continue on the same path for a few more months. I want to see how fast I can be given the existing conditions.
Are you also opening the door to compete internationally again?
– I dare not answer that, I don’t know. We’ll simply have to see how much faster than now I will be in long distance.
Hear Nystrand about the driving force: “Sprint training has progressed”