PHOTO: SVT
She is one of Swedish sports’ greatest legends.
Now Anja Pärson gets her rightful tribute in Master of Masters.
– When even Stenmark says you are the biggest, says presenter Micke Leijnegard in SVT.
After refusing for many, many years, we finally get to see the behemoth Anja Pärson in this year’s season of the acclaimed SVT program “Master of Champions”. In stiff competition, she has managed to hold on week after week, and in tonight’s episode it is time for her very own tribute film.
Pärson’s career
As one of Swedish sports’ greatest winter sports heroes, you can understand that it is a powerful tribute to the great Anja.
– Anja Pärson, Olympic champion, seven-time world champion, 19 medals at the Olympics and World Championships and 42 World Cup victories. This giant in winter sports is forever inscribed in the history books as one of the world’s most successful alpine skiers of all time, says the presenter Mike Leijnegard in SVT.
– I cheated a bit as a sports reporter when you broke through and I saw that this little 16-year-old from Tärnaby, when you looked at the adult world stars, you not only thought – but you knew – that you were better than them. You also became the first in the world to win WC gold in five different disciplines. The very first, no one else can do that.
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It all started in little Tärnaby once upon a time, in the giant Ingemar Stenmarks footprints. Even as a child, little Anja had her dreams ready for her.
– I was only three years old when I said I was going to be world champion and not many people shrugged their shoulders back then, she says in the TV program.
Stenmark’s words
It would then happen very quickly, at just 17 years old, Pärson made history in the alpine sport. When she became the very youngest World Cup winner of all time and from that day everything became a success story.
– No Swedish skier has more medals than you and when even Ingemar Stenmark says you are the greatest, then even that is a fact, says Leijnegard in the tribute film.
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One Olympic gold, one Olympic silver, four Olympic bronzes, seven World Cup golds, two World Cup silvers, four World Cup bronzes, 42 World Cup victories and double Bragdgold were her fantastic results. She is one of Swedish sports’ greatest heroes and the other participants are so impressed by Anja Pärson’s success.
– It is so incredible what she has achieved. Hats off really, I’m so impressed, says Johanna Davidsson in Sunday’s episode.
– For her, it was never a question of whether she would succeed, but when the medals would start rolling in. And it never stopped, it was huge to see, says Emma Johansson.
– Is it possible to say so much more when you have been the best in the world, it is not possible to reach higher than that. If you’re the best, you are, they say Sebastian Larsson.
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It is very clear how proud Pärson is when she can look back on her successful career on the ski slopes. Where of course the Olympic gold in Turin 2006 stands out the most.
– To be able to tick off something that you dreamed of, not many people get to do that. You get very moved by having to do all that. Sometimes it’s almost unreal how well things have gone, it’s impossible to grasp a little, says a taken Anja.
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