After her career, Therese Johaug chose to act as a length expert on television.
Now that she is making a comeback on the ski track, she has been forced to explain her harsh criticism that she has directed at the Norwegian national team in recent years.
– You know that the criticism will come, that a fifth, tenth or 20th place is too bad. I think they know that too, she tells VG.
She is a nine-time world champion, has picked up six Olympic medals, won 50 individual World Cup victories and the overall World Cup twice. Therese Johaug36, is truly a superstar — someone the sport has been missing for the past two seasons. How lucky then that the Norwegian is back!
Back in the national team
The sights are set on the home WC in Trondheim in February 2025. Until then, Johaug will compete in some World Cup competitions. She returns to her “old” life again after a break of just over two years. During that time, she has become a mother to Christine1, and worked as a length expert in Norwegian NRK.
She announced her comeback in August this year. Now she is back in the national team with the skaters she criticized not so long ago. It’s a bit of a special situation as the national team coach Sjur Ole Svarstad assigned to solve. He tells VG that her criticism was nevertheless legitimate because Norway, which is a major power when it comes to cross-country skiing, had two slightly worse seasons behind it.
READ MORE: Therese Johaug’s doubts about Frida Karlsson’s future plans
– We must remember that if you are going to work in the media and be a length expert, you also have to challenge us. I think it has been useful. It makes us think. We want to get the best out of our athletes – and last year, for example, it wasn’t good enough, he says.
“They have taken it very well”
Johaug was not necessarily the harshest critic, but along with Peter Northug she was by far the most high-profile. Her criticism received a lot of media coverage. Now she tells VG about what it was like to return to the national team and train with those she saw last year.
– I think the girls in the team have taken it very well. After all, I have been there myself in the target area as an athlete for many years. I know when the athletes themselves are not satisfied with the results. And they themselves know when things have gone badly, she says and continues:
– You know that the criticism will come, that a fifth, tenth or 20th place is too bad. I think they know that too.
READ MORE: Therese Johaug’s decisive decision before the comeback, which now affects Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson: “I know about it”
Exciting to see Therese Johaug at the highest level again. Wonder if she steps right in and wins again.
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