Frida Karlsson leaves the national team.
Thomas Wassberg has shared feelings about the whole thing.
– It is unfortunate if they are on opposite sides, he says to Aftonbladet.
The news hit like a bomb earlier this week. Frida Karlsson, our biggest length star, chooses to leave the national team’s training group for her own venture, outside the association’s auspices. Her best friend, also one of the world’s foremost sprinters, Maja Dahlqvist, does the same.
Wassbergs dom
It is said that there is no conflict behind the decision, but Karlsson should only have made the decision with regard to her own development, as she wants to stop her training and “keep the common thread”. Instead, Karlsson and Dahlqvist can in future train with the German national team, where Frida’s personal coach is now the coach.
Opinions have been many about Karlsson and Dahlqvist’s decision. Many have said that it is a daring, and potentially foolhardy one. Thomas Wassberg, one of Sweden’s greatest skiers of all time, believes that it can be negative.
– It is unfortunate if they are on opposite sides, because it is good to sometimes meet, meet and encourage each other. In my time, we were often out together, but we were not tied to anyone having to be in all the camps. If you wanted to do something of your own, it was not forbidden. Nobody questioned that, he tells Aftonbladet.
“The riders have a responsibility”
He also believes that the loss of Karlsson and Dahlqvist can affect the younger riders.
– The riders have a small responsibility to help the younger riders. But at the same time, they have to think about their own careers. Their own results and successes will be, in the first place, to spur the younger ones into others, he says.
Frida Karlsson and Maja Dahlqvist have, after the news was published, expressed some disappointment about how it was announced. Karlsson has said that she felt “painted black” after the press release was released.
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