Elvira Öberg’s illness opened the way for Stina Nilsson in the WC.
But it won’t be like that.
Now the national team tells why.
– It’s not exactly a Christmas present, says coach Johannes Lukas.
The Swedish women’s biathlon got off to a great start at the WC when Hanna Öberg won silver in the sprint, and Linn Persson took bronze in the same event. But since then it has looked heavier. In this weekend’s hunting start, the big star Elvira Öberg was suddenly missing as she fell ill, and then the Swedes collapsed on the shooting range.
Therefore, Stina is nobbed
There were hopes that Elvira would recover in time for Wednesday’s distance competition, but it looks bleak. The national team announced yesterday that Elvira Öberg realistically will not be able to compete, as apart from a short walk she has not even left her room, where she is kept isolated. But Öberg’s absence also opened the door for Sweden to bring in a replacement.
At home in Sweden, skaters such as Stina Nilsson, Johanna Skottheim and Tilda Johansson have kept going. Stina Nilsson was snubbed in notable ways from the WC squad, and she is now snubbed again. Sweden chooses instead to field only four skaters, instead of the five that you are allowed to field. Now Johannes Lukas explains why Stina Nilsson is nobbed.
– I spoke to her and we will adjust the training in the next few days, but then it is also about the risk of illness to bring in new people. Traveling here means several changes and it doesn’t feel optimal. We choose to stand over the fifth place in the distance and instead reevaluate how things are going for Elvira, he tells Expressen.
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“No immediate Christmas present”
So it has nothing to do with form or quality – but only with where Nilsson is in his training.
– It’s that she’s in a tough training block, so the idea is that we let up on that training now for the next few days and we will do that. She ran hard intervals yesterday and the distance is very tough. Traveling here and not being remotely prepared is not an immediate Christmas present, says Lukas.
There is, however, an opportunity for Sweden to call in an extra skater for this weekend’s relay, as a reserve may be needed on site.
– We have a group at home in Östersund who will run a test race tomorrow before the relays. And then we will evaluate how everyone is in phase and then we will see how we are doing.
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